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THE  LIBRARY 

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LOS  ANGELES 

GIFT  OF 

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MADAME   HENRIETTA   FELLER. 


HENRIETTA  FELLER 


AND 


THE  GRANDE   LIGNE  MISSION 


BY  WALTER  N.  WYETH,  D.  D. 

PHILADELPHIA,  PA. 


And  they  shall  be  mine,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  in 
the  day  that  I  do  make  a  peculiar  treasure. — (R.  V.) 


PHILADELPHIA,  PA.  : 

3920  Fairmount  Avenue. 

W.  N.  WYETH. 

1898. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress, 

In  the  year  1898,  by  W.  N.  WYETH. 

in  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of 

Congress,  at  Washington. 


Printed  and  Bound  by 

C.  J.  KREHBIEL  &  CO. 

CINCINNATI,  O. 


"3V 


To  THE  GRANDE  UGNE  MISSION. 

IN  GRATEFUL  HONOR  OP  THE  DEAD, 
IN  GLAD  RECOGNITION  OF  THE  LIVING. 

Very  Sincerely, 

THE  AUTHOR. 


m 
838264 


IE  grateful  service  performed  in  behalf  of  Mis- 
sions  by  the  Missionary  Memorials  has  now  reached 
the  eighth  volume.  While  the  general  subject  grows  in 
interest,  a  peculiar  pleasure  has  been  experienced  in 
tracing  the  course  of  the  Grande  Ligne  workers  ;  in  lay- 
ing a  tribute  of  regard  upon  the  graves  of  the  dead, 
and  adding  words  of  commendation  for  the  living  who 
have  entered  into  their  labors  and  spirit.  Materials  have 
not  been  wanting  to  make  an  extended  history,  and  the 
interest  of  brethren  in  Canada,  in  the  object,  has  made 
them  available  to  the  author.  The  manuscript  has  been 
examined  by  the  most  competent  men  related  to  the 
Mission  to  assure  its  accuracy.  If  the  author's  part  and 
pleasure  in  preparing  this  Memorial  shall  have  a  good 
response  from  the  people,  as  buyers  and  readers,  and 
prove  gratifying  to  the  Protestants  of  the  Canadas  par- 
ticularly, he  will  be  glad  that  he  has  devoted  to  it  time 
and  means.  Like  other  numbers  of  the  series,  its  pages 
have  been  electrotyped,  that  it  may  go  on  doing  good 
after  he  shall  have  been  called  home. 

W.  N.  W. 

3920  Fairmount  Avenue, 

PHILADELPHIA,  PA.,  July  4,  1898. 


IV 


i.    IN   SWITZERLAND — GENEVA;    LAUSANNE;    THE  GAY  GIRL, 

THE  GUILELESS  DAUGHTER;    IN  HOSPITAL  AND  SOCIETY,       7 
II.    EARLY  EVENTS — MARRIAGE  ;   DEVOTEMENT,  MATERNAL  AND 
RELIGIOUS;    A    GREAT    AWAKENING;     MATERNITY    AND 
Loss;  PERSECUTION;  STRONG  STAFF  BROKEN 16 

III.  IN  COURSE  OF  TRAINING— TRIED  BY  SORROWS;   DISCIPLINED 

BY  BUSINESS  ;  INSTRUCTED  IN  THE  TRUTH  ;  TRAINED  FOR 
SERVICE  ;  SANCTIFIED  BY  THE  WORD  OF  GOD  AND  PRAY- 
ER ;  CONSECRATED  THROUGH  CHARITIES 28 

IV.  MISSIONARY    PRELUDES— M.    FIVAZ  ;     M.    HENRI    OLIVIER  ; 

HENRIETTA  FELLER,  DEACONESS;  RISE  OF  MISSIONS; 
CANADA  THE  FIELD;  THE  OLIVIERS  Go  AND  RETURN; 

MADAME  FELLER  ENTERS t 38 

V.  SIGHTING  THE  FIELD  ;  THE  HUDSON,  LAKE  CHAMPLAIN, 
RICHELIEU  ;  ST.  JOHNS,  MONTREAL  ;  RECEPTION,  WARM 
AND  COLD  ;  IMPRESSIONS,  REPRESSION  ;  MISSIONARIES  AT 
ST.  JOHNS  ;  MRS.  LORE  ;  HER  CONVERSION  AND  DEATH,...  52 
VI.  THE  GRANDE  LIGNE— THE  LEVEQUE  HOUSE;  INCURRING 
DANGER  ;  SOME  LONGING  FOR  LIGHT  ;  PRIESTS  INTER- 
FERE ;  MR.  ROUSSY  ITINERATING  ;  HEROINE  IN  THE  GAR- 
RET ;  FIRST  CHURCH  FORMED  ;  SCHOOL-HOUSE  ERECTED  ; 

PATRIOT?    REBELLION;  EXILE, 65 

VII.  ADVANCES,  ACCESSIONS — FIRST  SUBSTANTIAL  EDIFICE  ;  "  HIGH 
DAY"  AT  DEDICATION;  NOTABLE  CONVERSIONS;  REV. 
LEON  NORMANDEAU,  DR.  C.  H.  O.  C6TE  ;  MADAME  FELLER 
AS  A  FIELD  WOMAN  ;  TOURS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES  ; 

SIGNAL  ENCOURAGEMENTS So 

VIII.  CHIEF  AND  ASSOCIATES— BINARY  ORBS;  GIRLS'  SCHOOL; 
LOUIS  ROUSSY  ;  FIRST  CHURCH  ;  PERILS  OFT  ;  GRACE  AT 
ST.  MARIE  ;  ROUSSY  vs.  CHINIQUY  ;  CHAPELS  BUILT  ;  MR. 
CYR  ;  MR.  LAFLEUR  ;  MR.  L.  CHAS.  Roux ;  MR.  Tous- 

SANT  RlENDEAU, 97 

IX.  TRIALS  AND  TRIUMPHS— DUAL  HYMNS  ;  ST.  PIE  AND  LON- 
GUEUIL  ;  COLPORTERS  ELOI  ROY,  Z.  PATENAUDE,  JOSEPH 
GENDREAU  ;  "  SOREL  AND  ITS  SHAME  "  ;  COLPORTAGE  A 

FORCE;  ONE  SCORE  YEARS, 112 

X.  SHADOW  AND  SUN— MADAME  FELLER  IN  DECLINE  ;  GOES 
SOUTH  ;  GRANDE  LIGNE  INCORPORATED  ;  HEALTH  GIVES 
WAY  ;  GOES  TO  SWITZERLAND  ;  RETURNS  AND  RESUMES 
DUTY  ;  NOTABLE  CONVERSION  AND  DEATH  OF  MRS.  COTE,  129 

XI.  THE  HEROINE  CROWNED— HER  ARENA  ;  THE  GOOD  FIGHT  ; 
CLOSING  WRESTLE  ;  THE  FUNERAL  ;  THE  CEMETERY  ; 

MADAME  LAFLEUR 140 

XII.  FIELD  MEN— T.  BROUILLET  ;  N.  GREGOIRE;  G.  N.  MASSE;  L. 
CHAS.  Roux;  A.  L.  THERRIEN;  M.  O.  THERRIEN  ;  J.  N. 
WILLIAMS, 150 

XIII.  STORY  OF  MASKINONGE— THE  VILLAGE  ;  "  THE  CURSED  CHAP- 

EL " ;  IMPRESSIVE  BAPTISM  :  CHANGES  OF  FAITH  AND 
CHURCH;  PRIESTCRAFT  vs.  CHRISTIAN  COURAGE, 171 

XIV.  CANADA,  PAST  AND  PRESENT— ITS  HOMES  AND  LANDS  ;   FARM- 

ING CUSTOMS  ;  QUEBEC— ITS  TREND  AND  NEED  ;  STONING 

THE  PROPHETS iSo 

XV.    THE  "  CONTINUED  STORY  "—THE  FIRST    EDIFICE  ;    ITS  DAY 

AND  DOOM;  NOTED  ENTERPRISE;  A  SCORE  OF  YEARS,....     194 
XVI.    OTHER    GREAT    DECADES  —  CONVERTS,    THREE    THOUSAND; 
HOME    MISSION    SOCIETY    COMES    IN  ;       NEW    MISSION- 
ARIES ;   NEW  STATIONS 207 

XVII.    STATUS  AND  ONLOOK— WORDS  FOR  ALL 227 


U«t  tn  the  *»*  of  life'*  all-#eetn0  *un 
$K>e  shall  behols  a  *om*thtn0  n«e  hat»e  bone; 
of  the  worh  to0ether  we  hat»e  n*rou0ht, 

our  aopix'attciit  ani>  our  ihou0hti 
not  unworthy  t»»ue  «et  receive. 

ARTHUR  HUGH  CLOUGH. 


VI 


MADAME  FELLER. 

I. 

j*n  *£nHtf**lan&— GENEVA;  LAUSANNE,- 

THE  GAY  GIRL;  THE  GUILELESS 
DAUGHTER;  IN  HOSPITAL  AND  SO- 
CIETY. 

OWITZERL/AND,  a  federal  republic  with  Berne  as 
^  its  capital,  is  one  of  the  noted  countries  of  the 
earth.  It  contains  more  mountain  scenery  than  any 
other,  in  proportion  to  its  area,  on  account  of  which  it 
draws  travel  from  every  enlightened  quarter  of  the 
globe.  Its  inhabitants,  who  are  herdsmen  and  shep- 
herds, incline  to  peace,  and  there  is  no  standing  army ; 
yet  every  citizen  is  obliged  to  serve  as  a  soldier,  and 
military  drill  is  taught  in  all  the  schools.  The  major- 
ity speak  German,  and  the  larger  part  of  the  remainder 
French.  Elementary  instruction  is  general — parents 
are  compelled  to  send  their  children  to  school,  or  have 
them  privately  taught,  from  their  sixth  to  their  twelfth 
year.  Universities  naturally  follow,  and  are  modeled 
on  the  German  or  on  the  French  plan. 

The  settlement  of  this  country  dates  in  antiquity. 
The  principal  mountain  ranges,  the  Alps  and  the  Jura, 
separate  the  people  into  distinct  communities  and  pre- 

7 


8  MADAME    FELLER. 

vent  mutual  helpfulness,  and  also  necessitate  local 
laws  and  independent  governments.  That  wonderful 
chain,  the  Alps,  runs  from  east  to  west  along  the 
southern,  the  Italian,  frontier,  and  sends  out  its  spurs 
over  more  than  one  half  of  the  republic  northward.  At 
the  southwest  extremity  lies  the  beautiful  crescent- 
shaped  L,ake  of  Geneva — L,ake  Leman;  and  pendant 
at  its  most  southernly  point  is  the  renowned,  most 
populous  and  flourishing  city  of  Switzerland  —  Ge- 
neva. On  the  northern  shore  and  bend  of  the  lake,  in 
the  canton  of  Vaud,  is  the  city  of  L,ausanne ;  and  as 
this  life-story  takes  its  start  there,  the  following  de- 
scription of  it  will  aid  in  awakening  the  reader's  inter- 
est : 

"  The  city  of  Lausanne  is  situated  above  the  L,ake 
of  Geneva,  and  is  built  on  three  hills,  which,  with  the 
valleys  between  them,  are  entirely  covered  with  build- 
ings. The  surface  is  therefore  very  uneven.  There 
are  few  streets  in  which  there  are  not  ascents  and  de- 
scents, in  which  respect  it  has  been  thought  to  resem- 
ble Jerusalem.  The  highest  hill  is  called  The  City. 
It  is  approached  on  one  side  by  a  flight  of  steps,  cut 
in  the  rock,  and  on  the  other  by  a  wood-covered  pas- 
sage, containing  from  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  two 
hundred  stairs.  .  .  .  There  is  the  Academy,  and 
the  Cathedral,  called  Notre  Dame.  This  is  a  mag- 
nificent edifice  of  the  tenth  century,  very  grand  and 
spacious,  ornamented  by  a  splendid  dome  which  is 
supported  by  two  rows  of  tall  marble  columns,  two 
hundred  and  seventy-two  in  number,  almost  all  of 
which  are  single  stones." — (J.  M.  Cramp,  D.  D.) 

Lausanne  is  sufficiently  near  to  the  lake  to  admit 


A    MEMORIAL.  9 

of  a  distinct  view  of  its  entrancing  beauties  from  the 
heights  mentioned.  Nearer,  and  in  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  spots  on  its  border,  is  a  small  village  named 
Montagny,  having  the  form  of  an  amphitheater.  At 
the  latter  began  a  life  which  entered  into  and  trans- 
formed a  multitude  of  other  lives,  imparting  light  and 
love,  and  freeing  them  from  the  most  dangerous  forms 
of  delusion.  It  sprang  from  the  Protestant  element  of 
the  community,  which  was  not  only  contemptible  in 
the  sight  of  the  Romanists,  but  also  was  itself  in  a 
low  religious  state.  The  spiritual  elevation  of  the  time 
of  the  Reformation,  and  afterward,  had  been  meas- 
urably lost,  and  the  circumstances  were  not  favorable 
to  the  development  of  eminent  religious  characters. 
And  yet,  as  in  some  other  cases,  the  difficulties  were 
not  too  many  for  souls  brought  under  good  human 
influences  and  wholly  submissive  to  the  Holy  Spirit. 
Some  thus  moulded,  one  in  particular,  will  form  the 
main  subject  of  this  narrative. 

Henrietta  Odin  was  born  at  Montagny,  April  22, 
1800.  The  coming  of  such  a  character  as  she  proved 
to  be,  at  the  beginning  of  the  century,  was  timed  with 
great  events  in  Christian  enterprise  in  different  parts 
of  the  world ;  notably  in  Great  Britain  and  America. 
She  appeared  at  a  time,  too,  when  witnesses  for  pure 
religion  were  specially  needed  throughout  Switzerland 
and  adjoining  countries.  Persecution  for  two  centu- 
ries preceding  had  been  succeeded  by  depression  of 
spiritual  life  and  consequent  worldliness.  Of  the 
four  hundred  thousand  Protestants  driven  from 
France  by  the  despotic  act  of  lyouis  XIV.,  in  revok- 
ing religious  liberty,  a  considerable  part  had  taken 


10  MADAME 

refuge  in  Switzerland;  and  these  were  "among  the 
most  industrious,  the  most  intelligent  and  the  most 
religious  "  of  the  French  race.  They  were,  therefore, 
by  their  traditions,  remembrance  of  past  persecutions 
and  superior  cultivation,  a  good  people  from  which 
an  energetic  Christian  community  might  spring. 
They  affiliated  readily  with  those  who  received  them, 
and  in  time  all  were  awakened  from  their  slumbers, 
and  stirring  scenes  ensued. 

Henrietta  was  the  fourth  child  in  a  family  of  six, 
and  was  suitably  endowed  to  become  devoutly  religious 
and  a  Christian  heroine.  Her  domestic  rearing  served 
to  the  same  end,  in  part.  "  Her  father  was  a  very  intel- 
ligent man,  well  educated,  of  a  determined  cast  of  char- 
acter, and  well  qualified  for  government.  He  spent 
his  early  life  in  the  French  army,  for  Switzerland  was 
then  in  alliance  with  France,  and  every  year  supplied 
many  thousands  of  soldiers  for  the  king's  service. 
When  he  returned  home  he  at  first  engaged  in  teach- 
ing, but  his  administrative  talents  were  discovered  and 
the  government  appointed  him  director  of  the  Cantonal 
Hospital  at  Lausanne,  to  which  place  he  removed  his 
family  in  1803.  His  management  of  the  institution 
was  so  satisfactory  that  he  was  placed  at  the  head  of 
the  penitentiary,  a  large  establishment  which  had  been 
constituted  recently,  on  the  most  approved  principles, 
for  the  employment  and  instruction  of  persons  sen- 
tenced to  long  terms  of  imprisonment.  This  office  he 
held  until  age  and  infirmities  incapacited  him  for  serv- 
ice. Henrietta's  mother  was  a  woman  of  great  discern- 
ment and  of  a  very  affectionate  disposition.  Wisdom 
and  love  distinguished  both  parents,  and  their  influence 
on  the  family  was  of  the  happiest  kind." — {Cramp.} 


A   MEMORIAL.  II 

The  removal  to  Lausanne  was  of  much  importance 
to  Monsieur  Odin  and  his  family,  while  it  proved  to 
be  very  advantageous  to  Henrietta.  The  city  contained 
twenty-five  thousand  people,  was  the  capital  of  the 
canton  of  Vaud,  and  the  educational  center  of  Switzer- 
land. Besides  numerous  other  good  schools,  it  had  the 
best  college  in  the  country,  and  in  connection  with  it  a 
theological  seminary  and  a  law  school.  There  Alex- 
ander Vinet,  eminent  divine  and  author,  was  born,  lived 
and  taught.  It  had  attractive  architecture,  partially 
due  to  its  three-hilled  site,  including  a  beautiful  Gothic 
cathedral,  in  which  John  Calvin  often  preached  and 
Madame  Feller  worshiped.  Its  construction  was 
commenced  in  the  tenth  century  and  completed  in  the 
thirteenth.  Henrietta  was  but  three  years  of  age  when 
the  Odins  settled  in  Lausanne,  and  her  development 
into  girlhood  and  womanhood  naturally  partook  of  the 
spirit  of  the  place  and  people.  She  early  manifested 
superior  intellectual  faculties,  and  having  a  lively  dis- 
position and  ardent  affections,  soon  became  a  general 
favorite. 

M.  Odin  took  charge  of  the  mental  development  of 
his  children,  while  the  mother  guided  them  in  religion 
and  morals,  and  thus  united  they  were  assiduous  and 
successful  in  training  them.  Henrietta  was  also  fa- 
vored in  having  in  her  elder  sister,  Catharine,  a  com- 
petent and  pious  guide,  showing  the  value  and  power 
of  sisterly  attentions  in  forming  character.  Genial 
influences  in  Lausanne  bearing  upon  the  genial  dispo- 
sition of  Henrietta  Odin  wrought  together  likewise  in 
making  her  one  of  the  noblest  missionaries  of  her  time. 

On  reaching  her  fourteenth  year  her  missionary  life 


12  MADAME   FELLER. 

began,  though  unconsciously  to  herself,  by  visiting  the 
wards  of  the  hospital  and  rendering  assistance  to  the 
suffering.  It  soon  became  evident  that  her  tender 
and  affectionate  manner  qualified  her  to  give  relief  to 
the  patients,  particularly  those  afflicted  with  wounds 
and  dislocations.  "  These  received  such  gentle  hand- 
ling that  everyone  wished  to  be  on  her  list  of  patients, 
and  the  physicians  entrusted  to  her  the  necessary 
dressings  after  the  most  difficult  operations.  She  en- 
joyed so  much  pleasure  in  these  engagements  that  she 
actually  entertained  a  project  for  the  foundation  of  a 
hospital  where  she  could  devote  herself  entirely  to  the 
work."  Her  experience  proved  to  be  a  preparatory 
education  and  discipline  for  trying  scenes  in  after  life 
in  distinctively  missionary  work. 

At  this  time  two  circumstances  combined  to  give 
her  a  sense  of  approaching  womanhood,  and  to  observ- 
ing persons  about  her  a  belief  that  her  future  would 
be  a  brilliant  one.  These  were  her  entrance  into  the 
church  and  her  debut  in  society.  The  first  was  little 
more  than  a  formality,  for  "  the  church,"  of  that  coun- 
try and  time  was  simply  Protestant — a  protest  against 
Rome — without  being  genuinely  spiritual.  However, 
her  natural  disposition  to  be  seriously  in  earnest  caused 
her  to  be  very  devout  in  her  preparation  for  admission, 
and  so  she  read  the  "  Imitation  of  Christ,"  and  studied 
deep  questions  of  the  moral  nature  and  of  God,  con- 
stantly praying  that  she  might  become  a  true  Christian. 
"The  communion"  was  a  great  thing  on  the  church 
program,  and  meant  more  to  the  mind  than  to  the 
heart.  It  seems  to  have  been  a  way  or  a  door  into  the 
church,  and  was  so  to  Henrietta.  But  after  she  had 


A    MEMORIAL.  13 

become  familiar  with  churchianity  and  the  emptiness 
of  mere  forms,  she  exclaimed :  "  O,  if  the  love  of  God 
in  Jesus  Christ  had  been  made  known  to  me,  I  should 
have  embraced  it  with  transports  of  gratitude  and  joy." 
But  her  pastoral  leading  was  not  evangelical,  and  time 
was  lost  in  vague  forms  of  outward  religion.  The 
teaching  she  received  flattered  the  self-love  and  pride 
of  her  unregenerated  heart.  Her  virtuous  and  regular 
life,  her  care  for  the  poor  and  general  kindnesses  were 
thought  to  be  sufficient  righteousness  to  entitle  one  to 
everlasting  life. 

The  second  event,  her  entrance  into  society,  was  a 
critical  circumstance  in  her  career  as  a  young  woman 
who  had  taken  the  vows  of  the  church.  She  became 
a  powerful  attraction  among  the  fashionables  of  Lau- 
sanne. Says  her  biographer :  "  Her  father  encouraged 
her  to  go  into  the  world,  and  accompanied  her  to  the 
parties  to  which  she  was  invited.  For  her  part,  Hen- 
rietta had  no  desire  to  shine.  Willingly  would  she  have 
remained  in  the  bosom  of  her  family,  and  she  valued 
society  rather  as  the  means  of  intellectual  and  moral 
development  and  a  source  of  lawful  pleasure  than  on 
any  other  account.  But  at  this  time  the  Swiss  nation 
was  emerging  into  new  life.  The  long  political  dis- 
turbances by  which  Europe  had  been  distracted  at  the 
close  of  the  last  century  and  the  commencement  of  the 
present,  issuing  in  the  overthrow  of  all  that  was  good, 
had  come  to  an  end.  The  imperial  crown  had  fallen 
from  the  head  of  Napoleon,  and  the  huge  colossus 
which  his  arms  had  reared,  and  at  the  feet  of  which 
almost  the  whole  continent  had  lain  prostrate,  was 
broken  in  pieces.  The  powers  of  Europe,  weary  of 


14  MADAME   FELLER. 

war,  eventually  guaranteed  to  the  people  the  blessings 
of  peace ;  and  the  Canton  de  Vaud,  whose  independence 
was  confirmed,  determined  to  enjoy  those  blessings  to 
the  utmost.  Progress  of  every  kind  enlivened  the 
country,  and  a  spirit  of  association  spread  everywhere, 
producing  the  happiest  results.  Societies  sprang  up 
in  all  places — for  the  promotion  of  the  natural  sciences, 
the  fine  arts,  music,  singing,  various  projects  of  indus- 
try, etc. — celebrating  their  fetes  and  anniversaries,  and 
keeping  the  young  in  a  perpetual  whirl  of  excitement 
and  pleasure.  Henrietta  greatly  enjoyed  those  meet- 
ings. She  was  a  fine  singer ;  her  voice  was  clear  and 
powerful,  and  when  she  sang  the  patriotic  songs  which 
were  then  so  popular,  she  threw  so  much  soul  into 
them  that  her  father  could  not  listen  to  her  without 
tears." — (Cramp.) 

The  social  and  intellectual  advantages  furnished  by 
the  institutions  of  learning  at  Lausanne — the  profess- 
ors and  students  and  the  genius  and  thought  with 
which  they  moved  society  were  sources  of  great  delight 
to  Henrietta.  They  provided  an  atmosphere  suited  to 
her  tastes  and  qualities.  They  revealed  in  her  such 
life  and  spirit,  and  made  observable  such  harmony  be- 
tween her  mind  and  countenance,  that  she  was  known 
as  "  Mademoiselle  Odin  the  transparent."  She  partici- 
pated in  literary  performances,  and  in  dramatic  presen- 
tations, displayed  a  positive,  imitative  talent,  eliciting 
much  applause.  Still  her  heart  was  not  right  in  the 
sight  of  God ;  she  knew  and  felt  that  something  was 
lacking.  Her  naturally  happy  disposition  did  not  as- 
sure peace,  even  in  her  delightful  surroundings.  There 
was  "  an  aching  void,"  an  uneasiness,  an  agitation 


A   MEMORIAL.  15 

which  she  was  unable  to  quell.  Supposing  herself  to 
be  religious  she  could  not  understand  why  she  should 
be  so  unhappy.  There  was  scarcely  an  element  of 
"  pure  and  undefiled  religion,"  as  an  outward  profes- 
sion, which  she  did  not  manifest.  But  "the  love  which 
unites  the  soul  to  God,  flowing  from  grace,  the  enjoy- 
ment of  pardon  and  the  experience  of  holiness  was  as 
yet  unknown." 


16  MADAME) 


II. 

<&tr*ttt#  —  MARRIAGE;  DENOTE- 
MENT, MATERNAL  AND  RELIGIOUS; 
A  GREAT  AWAKENING;  MATERNITY 
AND  LOSS;  PERSECUTION;  STRONG 
STAFF  BROKEN. 


next  important  event  in  her  life,  one  of  great 
moment  to  a  young  woman,  and  of  peculiar  inter- 
est to  all  the  friends,  was  her  marriage.  She  had  almost 
reached  her  twenty-second  year.  In  the  community 
lived  a  man  of  standing,  who  could  show  a  record  run- 
ning through  the  aristocracy  of  the  Swiss  Republic, 
and  whose  years  were  nearly  twice  the  number  of  hers. 
He  was  a  widower  and  the  father  of  three  children. 
The  interested  forethought  that  characterizes  many 
promptly  pointed  to  Henrietta  as  his  second  wife  and 
a  mother  to  his  children.  Her  sympathetic  interest  in 
a  bereaved  family,  strengthened  by  the  common  grief 
of  her  parents  and  the  community,  gave  some  occasion 
to  the  prediction  ;  yet  greater  cause  was  her  fitness  for 
a  high  rank  or  station.  However,  she  did  not  share 
in  the  sense  of  her  fitness  indulged  by  others,  and  nat- 
urally recoiled  in  view  of  the  responsibility  thus  thrust 
upon  her  attention.  But  she  could  not  long  hold  out 
against  the  popular  suggestion,  an  affectionate  pro- 
posal and  her  own  longing  for  some  opportunity  for 


A    MEMORIAL.  17 

service  worthy  of  her  mind  and  heart.  About  one 
year  after  the  bereavement  mentioned  Mademoiselle 
Henrietta  Odin  became  Madame  L,ouis  Feller — Feb- 
ruary 6,  1822. 

Her  life  career  now  fully  began,  and  the  develop- 
ment of  the  heroine  appeared.  "  The  day  before  her 
marriage  she  went  to  the  cemetery  to  visit  the  tomb 
of  the  first  Madame  Feller,  and  there,  before  God, 
promised  the  departed  mother,  with  all  the  affectionate 
earnestness  of  her  soul,  to  be  a  Christian  mother  to 
the  children  from  whom  she  had  been  taken,  at  the 
same  time  imploring  the  divine  blessing  on  the  union 
into  which  she  was  about  to  enter." 

Another  occurrence  at  this  time,  leading  on  Ma- 
dame Feller  to  still  greater  and  farther  reaching 
experiences,  was  contact  with  one  who  became  her 
spiritual  guide  —  Rev.  Mark  Fivaz.  It  was  on  her 
wedding-day  and  at  the  meeting  of  the  Feller  family. 
This  clergyman,  a  man  of  clear  discernment  and  pos- 
itive religious  character,  was  impressed  with  her  voice, 
remarkable  intelligence,  superior  powers,  and  "  lively 
sensibility  and  imagination."  Neither  she  nor  her 
husband  had  yet  found  rest  in  Christ,  but  being  of 
religious  disposition  they  at  once  established  family 
worship,  sang  from  Clement  Marot's  version  of  the 
Psalms  and  read  from  a  prayerbook.  "  The  large 
family  Bible,  illustrated  by  numerous  engravings,  rep- 
resenting the  principal  facts  of  Scripture  history,  was 
sometimes  placed  on  the  table,  and  the  Madame  em- 
braced the  opportunity  to  instruct  the  children  in 
a  knowledge  of  the  Word  of  God."  "  She  broke  away 
from  many  of  her  social  connections,  judging  it  neces- 


1 8  MADAME 

sary  to  adopt  a  plainer  and  more  retired  mode  of  life. 
She  shared  her  husband's  labors,  encouraged  him  in 
his  difficulties  and  sympathized  with  him  in  every- 
thing. He,  too,  regarded  her  as  an  enlightened  asso- 
ciate, relied  on  her  sound  judgment  and  warm  sym- 
pathy, and  found  her  ever  an  affectionate  counsellor,  a 
'helpmeet,'  in  whom  he  could  always  fearlessly  trust." 
He  gave  up  the  club  meetings  for  more  delightful 
and  profitable  evenings  with  his  family.  The  children 
loved  their  stepmother  as  they  had  their  own.  "  She 
took  great  pains  with  their  education,  studying  their 
respective  talents  and  characters,  correcting  their 
faults,  and  helping  them  by  hints  and  explanations 
when  they  met  with  difficulties  in  their  preparations 
for  school  or  college." 

The  religious  activity  of  Madame  Feller  had  al- 
ready fully  begun.  Her  hospital  work,  commencing 
in  her  fifteenth  year,  had  opened  her  eyes  and  heart 
to  the  possibilities  of  life,  and  much  that  she  did 
was  both  humane  and  spiritual.  The  enjoyment  de- 
rived from  this  devotement  to  the  good  of  others 
imbued  her  mind  with  Christian  sentiment  more  and 
more,  so  that  when  a  spiritual  religion  came  fully 
into  view  she  was  prepared  to  understand  and  em- 
brace it. 

A  revival  of  spiritual  life  in  the  Canton  de  Vaud 
commenced  about  one  year  before  her  marriage,  and 
was  now  progressing  well.  It  came  as  a  wave  of 
divine  grace  from  the  lower  or  southwestern  end 
of  the  Lake  —  from  Geneva,  a  city  made  famous  for 
all  time  as  a  center  of  theology,  through  John  Cal- 
vin, of  the  sixteenth  century.  It  was  more  imme- 


A   MEMORIAL.  19 

diately  due  to  the  eminent  Robert  Haldane,  of  Eng- 
land, who  had  lived  and  labored  there  several  years 
before  it  became  a  noted  movement.  This  great  ex- 
pounder of  truth  found  theological  students  dazed  by 
rationalistic  instructions,  expelled  from  the  Academy 
for  protesting  against  the  course  pursued  with  the 
doctrines  of  grace,  and  ready  for  the  faith  delivered 
to  the  saints.  All  that  remained  of  evangelical  truth 
and  life  had  taken  refuge  among  a  small  number  of 
pious  persons,  and  especially  in  the  remnant  of  a  little 
flock  of  Moravian  brethren,  gathered  about  the  mid- 
dle of  the  eighteenth  century  by  Count  Zinzendorf. 
The  expelled  students  and  some  of  their  friends  joined 
the  Moravian  body.  They  formed  also  an  association 
of  the  "  Society  of  Friends,"  for  common  edification  by 
prayer  and  reading  of  the  Scriptures,  feeling  deeply 
their  need  of  increased  knowledge  and  faith,  and  ex- 
pecting that  in  this  way  the  L/ord  would  come  to 
their  help.  Those  meetings  were  happy  seasons. 

"It  was  under  these  circumstances  that  Robert 
Haldane  entered  that  city,  chosen  of  God  and  des- 
tined to  become  a  source  of  blessing  to  the  students 
and  many  others.  In  a  short  time  there  was  a  revival 
in  Theological  Hall.  More  than  twenty  of  the  stu- 
dents regularly  clustered  around  Mr.  Haldane,  receiv- 
ing instructions  that  they  were  afterwards  to  spread 
abroad  in  Switzerland,  France  and  elsewhere.  The 
young  converts  became  missionaries  and  communi- 
cated the  truths  which  they  had  received  to  the  jun- 
ior clergy  throughout  the  Canton  de  Vaud.  The 
Lord  blessed  the  work.  Famished  souls,  thirsting  for 
salvation,  embraced  the  truth  with  joy,  and  evangelical 


20  MADAME   FELLER. 

associations  were  formed  in  different  parts  of  the 
country.  Then  ignorance,  prejudice,  formalism  and 
unbelief  took  the  alarm  and  the  cry  of  danger  was 
raised.  In  a  very  short  time  fierce  opposition  was 
roused  against  the  '  Sectaries,'  who  were  nicknamed 
momiers  (mask-faced),  and  who  were  driven  from  the 
churches,  as  intriguers,  hypocrites  and  impostors,  and 
loaded  with  contempt  and  insult." 

Madame  Feller  and  her  husband  were  as  yet  in 
the  general  current,  but  not  indifferent  to  the  hated 
evangelical  movement.  The  popular  good  will  which 
they  enjoyed  lulled  their  consciences;  yet  they  were 
greatly  shaken  betimes  by  a  zealous  relative  who  had 
espoused  the  unpopular  cause.  Madame  Feller,  in 
particular,  was  very  susceptible  to  pointed  appeals 
and  finally  lost  her  sense  of  security  and  looked 
with  foreboding  to  the  judgment  and  beyond.  The 
chaplain  of  the  penitentiary,  of  which  her  father  was 
governor,  greatly  interested  her  by  his  evangelical 
and  eloquent  preaching,  and  this  she  came  to  prefer 
to  that  of  others.  His  tender,  spiritual  words  led  her 
forward,  though  slowly,  to  a  full  sense  of  her  sinful- 
ness,  and  to  severe  struggles  for  deliverance  from 
the  thralldom  of  Satan.  And  finally  she  submitted 
humbly  and  gladly  to  the  Savior  of  Sinners. 

Another  experience  greatly  affected  her  mind.  She 
became  a  joyful  mother,  with  sufficient  cause  for  pa- 
rental pride  and  gratitude.  The  tiny  daughter,  Elize, 
occasioned  the  development  of  her  rich  affections  in 
a  new  direction.  She  is  mentioned  as  having  been 
remarkably  gifted,  a  statement  that  was  shown  to 
be  well  founded,  so  soon  as  she  could  express  her 


A    MEMORIAL.  21 

thoughts.  The  pictures  in  the  family  Bible  awak- 
ened her  mind,  and  she  wished  to  be  told  of  Jesus. 
"  Her  father  and  mother  were  admiring,  from  the 
terrace  of  their  house,  the  magnificent  prospect  be- 
fore them — the  lake,  the  Alps,  the  beauty  of  the  sky, 
which  was  reflected  in  the  transparent  waters,  the 
smiling  cottages  and  the  lovely  landscape.  The  sun- 
set added  greatly  to  the  beauty  of  the  scene,  and  as 
they  admired  their  hearts  were  lifted  to  God,  whose 
hand  had  formed  the  whole.  Their  lovely  child  was 
with  them,  all  eye  and  all  ear — her  countenance  shin- 
ing with  joy.  She  threw  her  arms  around  her 
mother's  neck  and  fixed  her  eyes  on  the  firmament, 
exclaiming,  '  Oh,  dear  mamma,  show  me  God !  Dear 
mamma,  show  me  God ! '"  At  the  age  of  three  she 
died,  exclaiming,  as  she  passed  from  the  caresses  of 
the  distressed  parents,  "  Why  do  you  weep,  dear 
mamma?  I  am  going  to  Jesus;  He  is  taking  me 
in  His  arms." 

As  in  many  similar  instances,  this  affliction  had  a 
close  relation  to  other  experiences ;  it  was  preparative 
to  higher  usefulness.  A  precocious  child  is  not  given 
that  it  may  be  taken  away,  but  that  the  glory  of  God 
may  better  appear  in  the  lives  of  the  parents,  whether 
it  live  or  die.  Its  coming,  like  that  of  an  effulgent  ray, 
enlivens  the  sense  while  its  brightness  blinds  to  objects 
around ;  and  the  cloud  that  cuts  it  off  is  a  blessing  in 
disguise.  Madame  Feller  was  blessed  in  the  giving 
and  in  the  taking  of  her  darling ;  in  the  one  case  by 
the  enrichment  of  her  heart's  affections,  and  in  the 
other  by  the  consequent  devotement  of  her  enriched 
life  to  a  cause  that  yielded  to  her  an  hundredfold  in 


22  MADAME    FELLER. 

time  and  in  eternity  rewards  that  no  one  can  fully  esti- 
mate. "  To  her  heart-sorrow,"  says  M.  Fivaz,  "  were 
added  certain  mental  disturbances  arising  from  medita- 
tion on  difficult  subjects.  It  was  a  time  when  there 
was  much  discussion  on  '  the  election  of  grace,'  and  she 
engaged  in  the  discussion  with  all  the  ardor  of  her 
spirit,  seemingly  desirous  of  sounding  the  heavenly 
decree,  that  she  might  clearly  discern  the  mystery  and 
depth."  The  same  pious  adviser  admonished  her  in  a 
manner  to  arrest  the  danger  and  produce  tenderness 
and  humility  with  rejoicing  in  the  light  already  granted. 
Still  Satan  strove  with  her,  and  only  after  much 
retirement,  reading  of  Scripture  and  prayer  did  she 
gain  full  release.  One  day  she  took  with  her  to  her 
retreat  a  small  treatise,  entitled  "  The  Evangelical  Doc- 
trine "  in  which  "  the  work  of  Jesus  Christ  was  ex- 
plained in  a  clear,  simple,  practical  manner,  and  the 
sinner  encouraged  to  cast  himself,  with  all  his  sins,  just 
as  he  was,  into  the  arms  of  the  Savior.  Then  light 
beamed  on  her  spirit ;  she  understood,  as  she  had  never 
before,  the  work  of  redemption,  and  laid  hold  of  it  and 
embraced  it  with  joyful  ardor.  So  powerfully  was  she 
moved  that  she  exclaimed :  '  What,  Jesus,  is  this  all  ? 
Is  this  all?  Simply  to  believe — to  believe,  and  leave 
all  to  thee !  Thy  blood  blots  out  all !  Oh,  Lamb  of 
God  !  Lamb  of  God  ! '  And  then,  falling  upon  her 
knees  and  weeping  for  joy,  the  place  seemed  to  be  filled 
with  the  light  which  had  penetrated  her  soul.  She 
could  scarcely  leave  it,  and  when,  after  several  hours 
there,  she  appeared  again  in  the  family,  the  peace  and 
joy  expressed  in  her  countenance  struck  the  children 
and  servants  with  astonishment.  Her  husband  was  so 


A   MEMORIAL.  23 

thoroughly  impressed  that  he  begged  her  to  pray  for 
him  that  he  might  also  become  a  true  child  of  God." 

It  will  be  remembered  that  at  this  time  the  perse- 
cution of  the  Protestants,  the  real  Christians,  was  vig- 
orously sustained.  M.  Fivaz,  a  subject  of  violent  ha- 
tred, had  been  condemned  to  banishment  for  two  years 
for  having  attended  a  prohibited  meeting.  An  appeal 
secured  the  reversal  of  the  judgment,  but  did  not  stop 
the  violence  of  the  enemy.  Many  young  ministers 
were  banished ;  others  were  cast  into  prison.  Houses 
were  forcibly  entered,  meetings  dispersed,  and  those 
attending  them  insulted.  In  some  instances  these  de- 
plorable scenes  issued  in  bloodshed.  Yet  they  occurred 
according  to  enforcement  of  law.  In  such  circum- 
stances the  evangelical  preachers,  determined  to  main- 
tain their  faith  and  worship,  preached  wherever  they 
could  be  accommodated — in  houses,  barns,  fields.  The 
converts  organized  for  work  and  worship ;  bore  testi- 
mony faithfully  to  the  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God,  and 
thus  provoked  the  fury  of  their  adversaries.  And, 
under  the  iniquitous  law,  their  tribulations  continued 
for  ten  years. 

At  one  time,  says  M.  Fivaz,  "  obliged  to  take  some 
steps  in  order  to  avoid  the  search,  which  was  becoming 
more  active  and  determined,  we  divided  our  congrega- 
tion into  four  or  five  groups,  which  met  in  as  many 
different  places,  at  each  of  which  I  met  them  every 
Sunday.  The  first  meeting  was  held  at  seven  in  the 
morning  in  the  wood  of  Sauvebelin.  This  wood  is 
two  miles  from  L,ausanne,  near  the  top  of  Mount  Joral, 
a  very  rough  district  and  difficult  of  access.  We  found 
more  persons  there  than  I  expected.  It  was  in  De- 


24  MADAME    FELLER. 

cember  and  the  weather  was  very  severe.  We  kept 
close  to  each  other  and  encouraged  one  another  to  be 
faithful.  We  sang  the  praises  of  the  Lord  and  offered 
our  prayers,  without  fearing  the  police  or  regarding 
the  rain  which  fell  heavily  upon  us.  We  were  filled 
with  joy  and  peace  in  the  Holy  Spirit." 

As  a  friend,  this  devoted  man  of  God  enjoyed  the 
protection  of  Monsieur  Feller,  superintendent  of  the 
police  of  L,ausanne,  so  far  as  he  could  possibly  render 
it  without  violating  his  official  obligations.  He  was 
necessarily  brought  into  collision  with  the  dissenters, 
who  were  very  determined  and  would  hold  their  sep- 
arate services  at  great  risks.  Madame  Feller  joined 
her  husband  in  favoring  them.  He  quietly  permitted 
meetings  to  be  held,  and  took  the  part  of  the  innocent 
worshipers,  sometimes  releasing  a  minister  or  other 
person  from  the  hands  of  a  mob  that  cried,  "  Down 
with  the  momiers!  To  the  lamppost !  To  the  pillory  ! 
To  the  pillory!  Let  us  cut  out  his  tongue!  Club 
him  !  "  She  was  accustomed  to  give  such  information 
to  M.  Fivaz  as  enabled  him  to  avoid  danger  by  chang- 
ing the  places  of  meeting.  He  was  complained  of  for 
negligence  of  duty,  and  after  much  vexation  on  account 
of  the  position  in  which  his  office  placed  him,  ex- 
pressed to  her  his  wish  to  resign.  She  held  him  to  the 
place  in  order  that  he  might  find  opportunity  to  render 
service  to  the  persecuted  Christians.  It  was  she  that 
suggested  the  avoidance  of  publicity  on  Sunday  morn- 
ings. "  If  anyone  had  assured  me,"  she  once  remarked, 
"  that  a  person  had  passed  through  pouring  rain  with 
no  umbrella,  without  receiving  a  drop  of  water,  I 
should  have  believed  it  more  willingly  than  that  you 


A   MEMORIAL.  25 

and  the  little  flock  of  the  L,ord  could  pass  through 
those  years  of  persecution  with  so  little  injury." 

The  former  biographer  of  Madame  Feller,  having 
full  knowledge  of  her  deep  Christian  experience,  speaks 
in  this  positive  strain :  "  From  the  moment  of  her 
conversion  she  gave  herself  to  Christ  before  the  world. 
She  confessed  Him  boldly,  spite  of  the  persecution 
which  was  urged  with  redoubled  fierceness  by  the 
agents  of  the  Government,  who  hunted  the  poor  mo- 
miers  with  the  greatest  cruelty,  in  order  to  suppress 
their  meetings  and  arrest  and  banish  those  who  con- 
ducted them.  In  these  circumstances  she  gave  clearer 
proof  than  ever  that  she  was  the  Lord's  instrument  in 
strengthening  and  encouraging  His  poor  persecuted 
disciples.  She  sought  their  friendship  and  became  the 
object  of  their  affection,  their  esteem  and  their  grati- 
tude." And  in  this  school  of  terror  and  testing  it  was 
seen  of  what  heroic  qualities  she  was  composed,  while 
the  training  thus  received  prepared  her  for  greater 
conflicts  of  her  own  an  another  continent. 

And  she  did  more  than  defend  and  encourage  the 
saints.  It  was  her  constant  aim,  amidst  the  tumult 
of  the  people  and  rage  of  the  enemies  of  the  Cross, 
to  enlarge  the  number  of  believers ;  not  to  secure  a 
stronger  army  of  defense,  but  to  multiply  the  trophies 
of  the  Savior's  love  and  the  number  of  the  saved.  She 
was  particularly  anxious  for  the  salvation  of  her  hus- 
band and  his  children,  and  her  incessant  pleadings 
with  God  in  their  behalf  were  rewarded  in  conversions. 
M.  Feller  and  many  relatives  yielded  their  hearts  to 
the  Spirit's  saving  work.  Her  loving  heart  found  its 
complement  in  that  of  her  husband,  one  of  the  noblest 


26  MADAME   FELLER. 

of  the  community,  and  more  of  a  man  because  a  serv- 
ant of  Christ.  To  him  she  rendered  assistance  in  his 
official  or  other  business,  and  thus  had  a  schooling  in 
affairs  that  was  of  much  advantage  in  the  events  that 
followed.  Meantime  the  loveliness  of  her  piety  diffused 
a  charm  and  endeared  her  to  all,  while  her  Christian 
influence  increased  and  helped  in  all  directions.  The 
poor,  the  afflicted,  the  sick,  the  prisoners  were  sought 
diligently,  not  only  for  the  bestowment  of  temporal 
relief,  but  also  for  the  benefit  of  their  souls. 

A  new  discipline  was  now  added,  evidently  for  the 
special  consecration  to  be  required  of  her.  The  loss  of 
her  child,  Elize,  of  recent  occurrence,  left  a  lingering 
cloud  in  her  sky,  but  it  had  been  given  a  silver  edge,  if 
not  a  transparence,  by  the  rich  Christian  experiences 
that  followed  —the  conversion  of  herself  and  her  hus- 
band. This  incoming  of  the  Spirit,  to  make  His  abode 
with  them,  had  driven  out  the  darkness  which  death 
created  and  brought  in  the  light  of  life.  Their  home 
had  become  cheery.  The  thought  that  Death  was  not 
through  with  its  immediate  work  may  not  have  oc- 
curred to  them.  But  typhus  fever  appeared  in  Lau- 
sanne, and  being  general  it  attacked  Monsieur  Feller ; 
and  notwithstanding  that  the  resources  of  medical  skill 
were  not  spared,  he  fell  a  victim  of  it.  The  distress 
that  the  event  caused  the  loving,  loyal  wife,  whose  sen- 
sibilities were  so  delicate,  can  well  be  imagined.  Her 
married  life  of  a  few  years  had  enabled  her  to  come 
into  the  fullest  harmony  with  him,  one  of  the  best  of 
men,  and  to  be  so  established  in  her  affections  as  to 
make  his  death  a  crushing  blow.  The  recently  formed 
oneness  in  the  faith  of  the  Gospel  sweetened  and 


A    MEMORIAL.  2J 

strengthened  the  marriage  bond.  But  Death  did  not 
pass  over  her  cherished  home ;  it  entered  and  took 
away  the  strong  staff  and  beautiful  rod. 

This  most  sorrowful  event,  like  her  first  bereave- 
ment, seems  to  have  been  ordered  for  wise  ends — for 
enlargement  of  her  call  to  world-wide  beneficence. 
She  had  become  familiar  with  business,  and  M.  Feller, 
feeling  that  he  should  not  recover  from  the  fever, 
placed  all  his  temporal  affairs  in  her  hands  to  be  ar- 
ranged and  settled  at  her  discretion,  and  wisely  oc- 
cupied his  last  hours  on  the  concerns  of  his  soul. 
L/osing  his  hearing,  then  his  sight,  and  then  his  voice, 
he  had  only  the  sense  of  feeling  by  which  to  recognize 
his  friends,  when  flesh  and  heart  failed  and  he  entered 
upon  his  everlasting  "portion."  Great  comfort  came 
to  the  wife  and  others  by  what  he  had  said  when  able 
to  speak :  "  Soon  I  shall  see  you  no  more.  But  I  am 
happy.  Be  not  overcome  with  sorrow.  The  Lord 
takes  away  in  order  that  He  may  give  the  more.  His 
will  is  best."  Extending  a  hand  to  his  pastor,  M. 
Manuel,  he  expressed  the  liveliest  satisfaction  in  what 
had  been  done  for  his  soul :  "  This  is  my  best  physi- 
cian, for  he  taught  me  to  love  the  Savior  who  died  for 
me." 


28  MADAME   FEL,L,ER. 


III. 

of  training — TRIED  BY 

SORROWS;  DISCIPLINED  BY  BUSI- 
NESS; INSTRUCTED  IN  THE  TRUTH; 
TRAINED  FOR  SERVICE;  SANCTIFIED 
BY  THE  WORD  OF  GOD  AND  PRAYER; 
CONSECRATED  THROUGH  CHARITIES. 

'"TVHUS  bereft  of  husband  and  child,  and  only  in  her 
-^  twenty-seventh  year,  she  was  "  a  widow  indeed." 
With  memorials  of  the  lost  in  the  drawers  and  on  the 
walls,  piercing  her  tender  heart  upon  every  appearance, 
what  could  have  been  predicted  for  her  if  not  suffering, 
and  that  continually  ?  A  severe  testing  had  come  to 
her,  as  a  Christian,  and  while  bewailing  her  situation 
she  diligently  besought  God  to  show  compassion.  The 
highest  sentiments  of  trust  and  submission  prevailed, 
and  she  had  an  experience  with  God  which  promised 
the  richest  results.  "  So  far,"  she  said, "  from  the  mem- 
ory of  this  dear  one  becoming  a  trouble  to  me,  a  snare 
to  my  soul,  I  desire  on  the  contrary  that  it  may  be  a 
bond  between  me  and  my  God,  to  detach  me  more  fully 
from  earth  and  all  that  is  fleshly,  in  order  that  I  may 
lead  a  holy  and  exalted  life."  It  will  scarcely  be  be- 
lieved that  her  faith  was  further  tried  by  the  contempt 
and  hatred  of  the  persecutors  of  the  little  church,  who 
indulged  in  railing  on  account  of  her  affliction,  declar- 


A   MEMORIAL.  29 

ing  it  to  have  been  deserved.  And  here  is  discovered 
a  characteristic  of  heathenism — a  charge  of  guilt  as  a 
cause  of  affliction.  How  excruciating,  if  permitted  to 
have  force  on  the  heart ! 

Madame  Feller  rose  above  her  sorrows  and  became 
superior  to  all  circumstances.  Life  was  real ;  life  was 
earnest.  It  had  two  sides,  a  domestic  and  a  business 
side.  Three  step-children,  two  sons  and  a  daughter, 
were  still  about  her.  A  loving  regard  for  the  departed 
father  was  adequate  cause  of  special  regard  for  them. 
She  loved  them,  and  this  affection  lightened  the  load 
that  she  carried  in  their  behalf.  She  desired  to  fit  them 
for  a  useful  career  and  to  make  them  heirs  with  her  to 
eternal  life.  The  business  she  conducted  with  energy 
and  skill,  not  with  a  view  to  permanence  in  it,  but  in 
the  hope  of  keeping  it  in  prosperous  condition  and 
finally  disposing  of  it  for  the  benefit  of  the  children. 
The  son,  in  his  seventeenth  year,  proved  a  valuable 
helper  in  all  her  affairs. 

Conversion  to  the  evangelical  faith,  on  the  part  of 
both  Monsieur  and  Madame  Feller,  was  entirely  inde- 
pendent of  church  relations.  Yet,  while  they  did  not 
submit  to  that  with  a  view  to  changing  their  relation- 
ship, the  renewal  of  soul  which  they  experienced  made 
the  latter  at  some  time  necessary.  They  could  not  be 
sincere  and  spiritual,  renouncing  the  world,  and  yet 
fellowship  the  National  Church.  Monsieur  did  not 
reach  the  point  of  renouncing  the  state  religion,  nor 
for  some  time  after  his  death  did  Madame  do  so.  How- 
ever, her  sympathies  were  with  the  little  persecuted 
church,  because  it  was  in  condition  to  excite  sympa- 
thy, and  because  she  believed  it  to  be  correct  in  faith 


30  MADAME   FELLER. 

and  practice.  And  when  her  views  of  the  nature  of  a 
Gospel  church  and  of  separation  from  the  world  had 
become  well  established,  she  regarded  such  personal 
action  a  duty. 

The  independent  church  was  mostly  composed  of 
poor  persons,  who  were  regarded  with  supreme  con- 
tempt by  others,  but  who  were  rich  in  spiritual  bless- 
ings and  remarkably  honored  in  the  conversion  of 
souls.  She  tenderly  loved  its  members — a  love  which 
persecution  tended  to  strengthen.  The  law  against 
the  "dissidents"  reached  her,  and  to  her  it  was  given, 
not  only  to  believe  in  Christ,  but  likewise  to  suffer  for 
His  sake.  Two  of  the  pastors  had  been  banished ;  a 
third,  M.  Henri  Olivier,  with  several  of  his  members, 
shared  a  similar  fate.  "  On  one  occasion  the  Council  of 
State  ordered  that  the  buildings  in  which  the  churches 
held  their  meetings  should  be  closed,  and  the  police  sev- 
eral times  entered  them  and  turned  the  congregations 
out  of  doors.  Happy  were  they  who  were  not  at  the 
same  time  insulted  by  the  mob !  '  What  a  shame ! '  they 
said,  as  they  saw  Madame  Feller  come  out  when  the  con- 
gregation was  broken  up,  '  that  she  should  have  joined 
those  momiers  /'  'It  is  a  great  pity,  indeed,'  was  the 
reply ;  '  she  was  such  a  fine  dancer ! ' '  The  chaplain 
of  the  penitentiary,  "  a  gentle,  benevolent  man,"  re- 
monstrated with  her  in  a  long  interview,  but  without 
avail. 

About  a  year  and  a  half  after  the  death  of  her  hus- 
band a  favorable  opportunity  for  disposing  of  his  busi- 
ness was  embraced.  She  sold  her  beautiful  house, 
wound  up  the  mercantile  affairs,  paid  all  the  debts  and 
invested  the  surplus  for  the  benefit  of  the  children. 


A    MEMORIAL.  31 

The  son,  nineteen  years  of  age,  went  to  Germany  for 
the  study  of  the  language,  married  there  after  two 
years,  and  finally  settled  in  his  native  country,  and  be- 
came a  respected  and  prosperous  citizen.  The  daugh- 
ters, fifteen  and  seventeen,  were  placed  in  an  excellent 
Moravian  institution,  in  the  Canton  of  Neuchatel,  in  a 
beautiful  valley  of  the  Jura  range,  and  after  satisfactory 
results  as  to  their  education  they  married  and  lived  in 
Lausanne.  In  these  movements  for  their  good  she  ex- 
ercised the  most  scrupulous  maternal  care. 

In  her  early  young  womanhood  Madame  Feller 
entered  into  a  partnership  with  her  sisters  in  Lausanne 
in  a  store  for  women's  clothing.  On  being  married 
she  withdrew  from  the  firm,  and  on  the  death  of  her 
husband,  yielded  to  the  advice  of  her  sisters  and  re- 
sumed her  place  with  them,  it  being  thought  that  a 
regular  employment  would  be  conducive  to  the  good 
of  body  and  mind.  But  while  she  engaged  in  business 
with  her  usual  activity,  she  lamented  the  loss  of  oppor- 
tunity to  be  useful  to  the  poor  and  distressed,  and  after 
one  year  resolved  to  make  a  change  which  would  per- 
mit her  to  respond  to  the  calls  of  benevolence.  A 
competent  person  was  employed,  while  she  retained 
charge  of  the  books  and  correspondence  and  managed 
domestic  affairs. 

The  enemies  of  the  Independent  Church,  appar- 
ently wearied  and  satisfied  with  the  havoc  they  had 
made,  for  a  time  desisted  from  their  wicked  work. 
The  disciples  of  Christ  had  "rest" — rest  from  being 
pursued  in  their  own  villages  and  homes.  For  about 
two  years  they  were  not  molested.  That  season  of 
rest  was  diligently  improved  by  the  employment  of 


32  MADAME   FELLER. 

means  for  the  diffusion  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Gos- 
pel, and  a  revival  followed,  which  greatly  cheered  the 
hearts  of  the  Christians  and  exerted  a  happy  influence 
on  society  in  general.  During  this  time  of  excitement 
Madame  Feller  was  busily  engaged,  and  her  skill  in 
guiding  souls  fully  tested  and  developed. 

Another  crisis  in  her  history  occurred  at  about  this 
time — A.  D.  1828.  The  death  of  her  early  guide  and 
helper,  her  sister  Catharine,  brought  a  great  strain  up- 
on the  whole  family,  especially  to  herself  and  her  aged 
parents.  In  a  few  months,  ere  this  wound  was  healed, 
she  was  seized  with  typhoid  fever  of  a  virulent  type. 
She  fully  expected  to  die,  and  though  resting  in  God 
she  felt  extreme  anxiety  for  the  objects  of  her  benevo- 
lence who,  she  feared,  might  suffer  by  her  death.  "  My 
poor  !  my  widows  !  "  she  exclaimed,  and  entreated  the 
sisters  of  the  church  to  undertake  the  care  of  them. 
When  despair  of  recovery  had  settled  upon  her  own 
and  others'  minds,  she  was  heard  to  pray  in  her  lucid 
moments  for  the  Lord  to  come;  saying,  repeatedly, 
"  How  slow  the  Lord  is  in  coming  !  "  On  Lord's  day 
morning  the  physician  entered  the  church  in  haste  and 
announced  that  her  last  hour  had  come.  "Nothing 
but  a  direct  interposition  from  God  can  save  her.  Pray 
—pray  for  her !  "  The  assembled  people  fell  upon 
their  knees,  and  pastor  and  people  prayed — pleaded 
hard  with  God.  At  noon  the  church  was  still  pray- 
ing, when  the  physician  entered  the  place  again. 
"  Thanks !  "  he  exclaimed,  "  give  thanks !  She  is  saved  ! 
saved !  The  disease  has  taken  the  most  favorable  turn 
that  could  be  desired."  Then  joy  filled  the  souls  of 
the  waiting  saints,  and  the  exercise  was  turned  into 
one  of  thanksgiving. 


A   MEMORIAL.  33 

M.  Fivaz,  visiting  her  toward  the  close  of  the  day, 
informed  her  of  what  had  taken  place  in  church.  She 
was  so  overpowered  with  emotion  at  the  recital  that  it 
was  feared  that  the  excitement  would  be  too  much  for 
her.  On  regaining  composure,  she  said :  "  You  were 
not  willing  to  let  me  die.  I  hope  it  is  the  Lord's  will 
that  is  done,  and  not  yours.  It  seems  strange  that  I 
who  had  no  expectations  of  continuing  on  earth,  should 
now  have  to  learn  to  live."  And  this  was  but  one  of 
the  occasions  on  which  prayer  was  the  apparent  means 
of  rescue  for  the  little  flock.  Often  amid  direct  diffi- 
culties and  persecutions  and  official  surveillance  their 
prayers  were  heard  and  deliverance  granted. 

On  advice  of  her  physician  Madame  Feller  retired 
to  the  country  for  the  summer  months.  She  repaired 
to  one  of  the  elevated  valleys  of  the  Jura,  just  beyond 
the  French  border,  a  healthful  district,  covered  with 
immense  firs,  many  of  which  were  centuries  old.  It 
was  rugged  in  general  appearance  and  calculated  to 
entertain  the  mind  and  elevate  the  soul.  But  the  moral 
and  spiritual  condition  of  the  people  could  not  be  over- 
looked by  such  a  pious  person  as  the  invalid  from  Lau- 
sanne, and  it  was  anything  but  good.  The  country 
was  "  a  moral  desert,  covered  with  the  darkness  of 
popery,  which  no  ray  of  Gospel  grace  had  ever  pene- 
trated. Some  efforts  to  introduce  evangelical  truth 
had  been  made  at  the  time  of  the  Reformation,  and 
afterwards,  but  without  success.  A  dead,  ignorant, 
superstitious  Catholicism  reigned  supreme. 

The  crisis  in  the  matter  of  health  was  a  clear  occa- 
sion in  Madame  Feller's  life  for  an  appearance  of  the 
Hand  of  Providence.  In  being  placed  among  the 


34  MADAME   FELLER. 

Roman  Catholics,  she,  quite  unexpectedly,  acquired 
her  first  special  qualification  to  become  a  heroine  and 
angel  of  love  among  them  in  after  years.  She  had  not 
opportunity  theretofore,  as  now,  for  studying  closely 
the  Romish  system,  or  of  observing  it  in  practical  oper- 
ation. She  was  now  in  a  farm-house,  receiving  the 
kindest  attention  and  being  supplied  with  choice  fruits 
and  other  luxuries,  but  not  favored  with  Chris'  'an  sym- 
pathy. The  keepers  were  full  Romanists.  They  were 
satisfied  with  their  church  and  their  priests,  in  which 
they  placed  the  fullest  confidence.  Their  chambers 
were  adorned  with  pictures  of  the  Virgin  and  the  saints, 
which  were  the  objects  of  their  veneration.  Such  a 
person  as  Madame  Feller  could  not  remain  silent  in 
view  of  their  delusions,  and,  moved  with  compassion, 
spoke  to  them  of  Christ  and  the  way  of  salvation.  Her 
manner,  as  well  as  the  substance  of  her  talks,  excited 
thought  and  touched  their  hearts.  Yet  prejudice  against 
Protestants  awakened  controversy  and  all  good  impres- 
sions were  effaced,  or  seemed  to  be,  though  such  work 
of  love  can  not  be  wholly  in  vain. 

As  soon  as  she  was  strong  enough  she  spent  her 
mornings  in  the  open  air,  seated  at  the  foot  of  a  gigan- 
tic pine,  and  engaged  in  reading  and  prayer ;  the  Bible 
on  her  lap,  with  a  hymn-book,  or  such  a  work  as  the 
L,ife  of  Henry  Martyn,  the  perusal  of  which  filled  her 
soul  with  earnest  longings  for  missionary  life. 

Her  meditations  in  this  mountain  district  were  at- 
tended considerably  with  heart  searchings,  followed  by 
ecstatic  praise.  The  Bible  became  a  treasure  of  life 
and  light  to  her  soul  beyond  any  of  her  previous  ex- 
periences with  it.  She  read  it  over  and  over ;  she 


A    MEMORIAL.  35 

prayed  over  it ;  she  underscored  the  statements  and 
promises  which  peculiarly  interested  her.  She  was 
revived ;  her  faith  and  love  were  strengthened  and 
developed,  and  her  covenant  with  God  and  consecra- 
tion to  His  service  renewed.  Thus  her  mountain  so- 
journ was  an  epoch  in  her  career. 

On  her  return  to  Lausanne  the  church,  which  had 
continually  remembered  her  in  prayer,  received  her 
with  liveliest  demonstrations  of  joy.  Her  house  was 
besieged  by  visitors.  There  was  in  the  church  at  that 
time  a  rare  constellation  of  excellent  women,  many  of 
them  mothers,  who  understood  and  sympathized  with 
her  in  respect  to  her  religious  experiences,  which 
others  regarded  as  mysticism.  The  genuineness  and 
intelligence  of  her  piety  was  proven  by  its  fruits.  Her 
zeal  was  according  to  knowledge,  as  shown  in  the 
great  renewal  of  spiritual  life  in  the  church  and  the 
effects  soon  witnessed  in  the  world  around.  Sinners 
were  found  to  be  desiring  to  know  the  way  of  salva- 
tion. Meetings  for  prayer  were  held  from  house  to 
house,  and  mothers'  prayer  meetings  were  soon  estab- 
lished, which  continued  for  several  years,  and  proved 
to  be  sources  of  great  blessing. 

Madame  Feller,  her  health  being  well  restored, 
"  resumed  her  benevolent  activities,  and  entered  on  a 
career  of  large  charity.  In  addition  to  the  usual 
objects  of  her  kindness  she  became  particularly  en- 
gaged on  behalf  of  distressed  persons,  not  reckoned 
among  the  common  poor,  who  suffered  in  silence,  liv- 
ing in  barns,  lofts,  and  places  of  that  description  where 
they  were  unnoticed.  She  sought  them  out  in  their 
hiding  places,  and  administered  such  help  and  relief  as 


36  MADAME 

were  needed.  These  visits  were  paid  in  the  evenings 
and  often  prolonged  far  into  the  night ;  her  affection- 
ate sympathy  making  her  unmindful  of  the  lapse  of 
time.  When  she  returned  home  all  was  silent  in  the 
city.  She  seldom  met  any  persons  but  the  watchmen 
who  were  going  their  rounds,  and  who,  recognizing 
her  by  her  little  lantern,  sometimes  walked  behind  her 
for  the  sake  of  protection  till  she  reached  her  own 
house.  The  sick  were  especially  cared  for  and 
promptly  relieved.  When  she  heard  of  any  who  were 
confined  to  their  beds,  and  was  unable  to  attend  to 
them  immediately,  she  sent  assistance  by  her  servant, 
and  followed  in  person  as  soon  as  able.  Her  experi- 
ence in  the  treatment  of  the  sick  and  her  knowledge 
of  medicine  enabled  her  to  render  effectual  aid.  But 
she  did  not  confine  herself  to  the  alleviation  of  phys- 
ical sufferings.  It  was  her  custom  to  call  the  family 
together,  read  to  them  a  portion  of  Scripture  suited  to 
their  state,  and  exhort  them  to  receive  the  word  of 
God,  always  closing  with  prayer. 

"  In  cases  of  death  she  was  not  satisfied  with  ming- 
ling tears  with  the  survivors.  Orphans  were  often 
left  in  a  state  of  destitution  or  dependence,  and  she 
took  charge  of  them,  superintending  their  education 
and  otherwise  supplying  their  wants.  When  they 
reached  a  suitable  age  for  apprenticeship  she  exerted 
herself  to  secure  good  places  for  them,  and  even  took 
upon  herself  the  expense  of  the  premiums  required. 
She  was  known  to  have  as  many  as  twenty  on  her  list 
in  a  single  year.  A  large  number  of  them  became 
useful  members  of  society,  and  rendered  good  service 
to  the  church."  Her  own  resources  scarcely  justified 


A   MEMORIAL.  37 

so  much  expenditure,  but  her  influence  enabled  her  to 
obtain  assistance  from  friends,  who  willingly  shared  the 
responsibilities  of  this  form  of  benevolence.  And  an- 
other mode  of  usefulness  was  correspondence.  Per- 
sons in  the  neighboring  cities  and  even  in  distant  parts 
of  the  country,  hearing  of  her,  wrote  for  instruction, 
advice,  or  consolation,  and  received  cheering,  helpful 
replies.  Her  mother's  death,  occurring  at  this  time, 
was  a  great  personal  affliction,  yet  who  shall  say  that 
it  was  not  timed  for  the  new  and  special  "  separation 
unto  the  Gospel  of  God"  which  soon  followed? 

While  sojourning  on  the  mountain  Madame  Feller 
had  studied  the  New  Testament  teaching  on  the  sub- 
ject of  baptism,  and  her  investigations  had  resulted  in 
the  conviction  that  the  ordinance  was  intended  for 
believers  only.  On  returning  she  mentioned  the  mat- 
ter to  her  pastor  and  her  physician,  and  learned,  to  her 
great  surprise,  that  they,  too,  had  been  similarly  en- 
gaged, and  that  their  convictions  agreed  with  her  own. 
Neither  of  the  three  reached  the  doctrine  of  immer- 
sion, as  baptism,  still,  though  Madame  and  her  physi- 
cian yielded  to  aspersion  only,  they  were  greatly  in 
advance  of  the  community  and  church  in  respect  to 
the  ordinance,  with  the  important,  the  real  step  yet 
before  them.  Theirs  was  the  first  baptism  (aspersion) 
in  the  city  of  Lauzanne — the  first  on  profession  of 
faith  in  Christ  and  of  death  to  sin — and  it  occasioned 
great  astonishment. 


38  MADAME  FELLER. 


IV. 


—  M.  FIVAZ;  M. 
HENRI  OLIVIER;  HENRIETTA  FELLER, 
DEACONESS;  RISE  OF  MISSIONS;  CAN- 
ADA THE  FIELD;  THE  OLIVIERS  GO 
AND  RETURN;  MADAME  FELLER  EN- 

TERS. 


foregoing  narrative  has  brought  to  view  the 
beginnings  of  a  career  which  promises  to  be  of 
great  interest  to  the  reader.  The  discipline  and  de- 
velopment of  Madame  Feller  were  almost  entirely  sep- 
arate from  similar  experiences  in  others  ;  at  least  they 
rose  higher  and  struck  deeper.  Her  character  was 
unique,  independent,  solitary.  Still  there  were  some 
in  her  fellowship  who  resembled  her  in  spirit,  and,  it 
may  be,  derived  strength  of  purpose  from  her  courage 
and  achievements;  good  associates,  highly  appreci- 
ated. 

A  missionary  era  was  -dawning.  The  revival  of 
piety  was  naturally  attended  with  increased  missionary 
interest.  Changes  took  place  in  the  little  church,  but 
not  without  some  compensation  in  greater  advance- 
ment of  the  work  at  home  and  abroad.  M.  Fivaz,  the 
faithful  pastor  through  the  stormy  beginnings,  resigned 
the  pastorate  at  Lausanne,  and  became  a  missionary  at 


A    MEMORIAL.  39 

Havre,  France.  While  nominally  missionary  to  the 
Protestants  there,  he  hoped  to  do  good  to  the  Roman 
Catholics  also.  His  ministry  had  been  very  exhaust- 
ing, and  he  hoped  to  recover  v  strength  also  by  the 
change.  After  Monsieur  Feller's  death  the  Govern- 
ment became  more  bold  in  the  pursuit  of  him,  and  often 
would  he  have  been  imprisoned  or  banished  had  he 
not  received  protection.  He  strictly  walked  in  the 
path  of  duty  regardless  of  consequences,  making  full 
proof  of  his  ministry  in  profiting  that  appeared  unto 
all. 

Another  good  man  appears  upon  the  scene,  suc- 
ceeding the  above.  It  was  M.  Henri  Olivier,  who  also 
had  passed  through  fiery  trial,  and  was  thus  measur- 
ably prepared  for  trials  in  the  pastorate  at  Lausanne. 
He  had  obtained  honorable  distinction  in  the  Acad- 
emy of  Lausanne,  but  having  espoused  the  evangel- 
ical faith  he  was  obnoxious  to  the  Government  and  the 
Academy.  He  was  refused  ordination  at  home,  and 
went  to  England  and  obtained  it  there.  Once  he  was 
banished  for  six  months  for  reading  the  Scriptures  to 
others ;  went  to  Paris  and  united  with  a  distinguished 
brother  of  his  in  evangelical  labors,  where  the  two 
were  generously  helped  by  the  eminent  Robert  Hal- 
dane.  On  returning  to  Lausanne  he  was  again  ar- 
rested for  being  engaged  in  a  meeting  that  was 
broken  up  by  a  mob,  and  sentenced  to  banishment  for 
a  year  and  payment  of  costs.  On  the  second  return 
he  assumed  the  pastorate  as  stated,  well  qualified  by 
experience  to  sympathize  with  his  flock. 

The  marked  success  of  M.  Olivier  in  infusing  new 
life  and  increasing  the  membership  of  the  church  was 


40  MADAME   FELLER. 

attended,  quite  unexpectedly,  by  a  cessation  of  oppo- 
sition on  the  part  of  the  Government.  Public  opinion 
was  obtained  for  the  persecuted  through  the  eloquent 
pleadings  of  eminent  ministers  who  defended  them 
when  on  trial  and  enlightened  those  who  had  igno- 
rantly  opposed  the  truth.  Madame  Olivier  proved  to 
be  a  superior  woman  and  a  fit  associate  of  Madame 
Feller  in  church  and  society,  in  all  lines  of  influence 
and  labor.  Madame  Feller  was  now  formally  re- 
quested to  assume  the  office  of  deaconess,  the  duties 
of  which  she  had  for  a  long  time  performed  without 
the  title.  She  complied,  in  the  hope  of  being  still  more 
useful,  though  already  well  burdened  with  cares  and 
responsibilities,  domestic  and  personal.  Madame  Oli- 
vier joined  her  in  establishing  a  Sunday-school,  the  pas- 
tor taking  a  Bible-class  for  young  men,  and  she  one 
for  young  women.  She  endeavored  to  interest  her 
class  in  missions,  home  and  foreign,  by  means  of  in- 
telligence from  distant  fields.  The  mothers  and  other 
women  of  the  church  held  meetings  for  conference 
and  prayer  under  her  leadership.  Her  wisdom  and 
earnestness  in  the  management  of  these  meetings,  as 
in  other  engagements,  were  much  admired  by  those 
associated  with  her ;  for  all  of  which  she  kept  herself 
qualified  by  communion  with  God  and  the  study  of 
His  Word.  "  While  she  possessed,"  said  M.  Fivaz, 
"powers  like  those  of  a  strong  man,  who  remains  un- 
shaken under  difficulties  and  fears  nothing,  together 
with  singular  gifts  for  administration,  I  never  saw  her 
descend  for  a  single  moment  from  her  proper  position 
as  a  woman,  or  fail  to  manifest  the  affection  and  grace- 
fulness which  constitute  the  principal  adornment  of 


A   MEMORIAL.  4! 

the  female."  And  M.  Olivier  says  "  her  piety  was  as 
joyous  as  it  was  fervent ;  her  filial  submission  under 
suffering  was  most  exemplary  ;  and  she  was  indefati- 
gable in  those  cares  for  the  young,  the  poor,  and  the 
afflicted  of  the  church,  which  the  office  of  deaconess 
imposed  on  her." 

The  poor  and  persecuted  church  at  L,ausanne,  not- 
withstanding its  heavy  home  expenses,  resolved  to  aid 
the  cause  of  missions.  Members  of  the  National  and 
of  the  Independent  church  united  in  forming  a  society. 
The  Government  interfered,  taking  advantage  of  an 
old  and  obsolete  act  passed  for  another  purpose,  and 
prohibited  the  collection  of  funds.  "  But  the  work 
went  on ;  missionary  prayer  meetings  were  held  peri- 
odically, and  a  revival  of  religion  followed  which  ex- 
tended to  the  whole  canton.  Bible  societies  and  tract 
societies  were  organized,  and  ultimately  a  Missionary 
Institute  was  established  for  the  instruction  and  prep- 
aration of  young  men  for  missionary  service." 

Well  may  it  be  inferred  that  Madame  Feller  was 
greatly  interested  in  this  new  movement,  if,  indeed, 
she  was  not  the  very  soul  of  it.  "  Missions  were  con- 
stantly present  to  her  mind,  and  always  formed  part 
of  her  prayers.  She  studied  the  Scriptures  on  the 
subject,  and  delighted  to  examine  the  promises  of  God 
respecting  the  salvation  of  the  heathen,  indulging  an 
impression  that  the  glory  of  the  latter  da)rs  was  about 
to  appear.  Sometimes  she  entertained  a  desire  for 
personal  engagement  in  the  work,  if  it  should  be  the 
will  of  the  lyord  that  she  should  be  so  employed.  The 
young  men  who  entered  the  Mission  Institute  were 
special  objects  of  her  friendly  regard.  She  invited 


42  MADAME   FELLER. 

them  to  her  house,  exhorted  them  to  diligence  and 
perseverance,  and  showed  them  the  desirableness  of 
accustoming  themselves  to  missionary  labor  by  visits 
to  the  poor  and  sick  around  them,  and  to  the  inmates 
of  the  prisons." 

A  church  could  not  long  be  under  the  culture  of 
missionary  sentiment  without  coming  into  still  more 
active  relation  to  the  cause  itself.  The  question 
would  arise,  "  Whose  business  is  it  to  go  to  the  hea- 
then for  whom  we  pray  and  give  ?  "  And  the  conse- 
cration that  comes  by  the  Spirit  compels  the  reply, 
"  Here  am  I,  send  me."  And  should  it  be  thought 
untimely  or  unfit  for  the  leader  of  a  missionary  people 
to  present  himself  as  a  gift  for  the  altar,  after  having 
been  foremost  in  erecting  it  and  in  calling  for  offer- 
ings? Such  a  gift  appeared  in  the  person  of  the 
worthy  pastor  of  the  L/ausanne  church,  Henri  Olivier. 
In  June,  1834,  he  announced  to  his  people  the  deci- 
sion he  had  formed  to  enter  a  foreign  mission.  The 
church,  first  surprised  by  the  news  and  then  pained 
at  the  thought  of  separation,  finally  was  divided  in 
sentiment  as  to  the  matter,  though  the  majority  be- 
lieved that  the  hand  of  God  was  in  it,  and  were  re- 
signed to  the  course  the  pastor  proposed.  And  the 
sincerity  of  the  man  was  manifest  in  offering  himself 
to  the  Lausanne  Missionary  Society  for  any  foreign 
field  it  might  select. 

Here  the  reader  is  introduced  to  the  hard  field 
which  henceforward  will  be  prominent  in  this  narra- 
tive— Canada.  The  Society  seems  to  have  felt  no 
hesitation  in  selecting  it,  as  its  attention  had  been 
directed  thither  by  letters  from  Christian  brethren 


A   MEMORIAL.  43 

residing  there.  Canada  West  and  the  Indian  popula- 
tion of  that  country,  to  many  of  whom  the  French 
language  was  familiar,  constituted  the  special  field. 
Some  missionary  efforts  had  been  made  in  that  region 
with  encouraging  results. 

A  farewell  meeting  was  held,  numerously  attended 
by  friends  from  neighboring  towns  and  villages,  as  well 
as  by  members  of  the  church,  and  was  a  season  of  un- 
usual excitement  and  devotional  feeling.  Besides  pas- 
tor Olivier  and  his  wife,  two  students  in  the  Missionary 
Institute  were  set  apart  to  the  enterprise,  Messrs. 
Gavin  and  Dentan,  and  Madam  Olivier's  servant  was 
added  to  the  number.  It  was  expected  that  this  com- 
pany would  proceed  to  the  field  inhabited  by  North 
American  Indians  and  make  the  aborigines  the  object 
of  their  missionary  endeavors.  This  supposed  aim  of 
the  missionary  enterprise  at  Lausanne  must  have  occa- 
sioned the  impression,  still  cherished  by  some,  that 
Madam  Feller  originally  intended  to  be  a  missionary 
to  the  Indians.  Her  active  sympathy  with  all  the 
movements  resulting  in  the  designation  of  those  men- 
tioned may  have  increased  the  impression.  Her  sym- 
pathies were  world-wide,  yet  those  near  her  at  Grande 
L,igne  for  years  never  heard  her  speak  of  any  diversion 
of  purpose  from  the  Indian  to  the  French  Canadian 
cause. 

On  the  1 5th  day  of  August,  1834,  this  band  left  the 
lovely  Swiss  town  of  Lausanne  and  the  loving  church — 
thrice  loved  and  loving  because  of  its  tribulations — 
and  proceeded  to  Paris,  and  thence  to  Havre,  where  it 
embarked  on  an  untried  sea  for  an  untried  service.  A 
merchant  vessel  was  chosen,  greatly  reducing  expenses. 


44  MADAME    FELLER. 

The  voyage  to  New  York  occupied  fifty-three  days, 
and  was  stormy,  the  prevalence  of  contrary  winds  com- 
pelling the  selection  of  the  southern  passage,  where 
the  passengers  were  exposed  to  the  inconvenience  of 
tropical  heat.  Scarcity  of  provisions  added  to  their 
distress.  For  several  days  they  had  nothing  to  eat  but 
potatoes. 

Having  arrived  in  New  York,  October  18,  the  mis- 
sionaries were  kindly  received  and  introduced,  and, 
after  a  stay  of  one  week,  proceeded  to  Montreal,  where 
they  arrived  on  the  evening  of  the  2Qth  of  October. 
They  had  been  received  in  New  York  as  "  Independ- 
ents," and  as  such  were  introduced  by  letter  to  the 
minister  of  the  American  Presbyterian  Church  in  Mon- 
treal, and  most  cordially  cared  for.  It  was  decided  to 
spend  the  winter  there.  M.  Olivier  commenced  French 
meetings,  attended  by  about  thirty  Canadians,  and  often 
by  a  large  addition  from  those  natives  who  were  in  the 
employ  of  the  resident  English.  His  labors  were  not  in 
vain.  Some  openly  declared  themselves  for  the  truth ; 
many  visited  him,  and  with  some  he  conversed  in  the 
presence  of  the  Romish  priests,  who  became  very  indig- 
nant at  his  proceedings  and  denounced  him  as  a  dan- 
gerous man,  a  deceiver  and  a  wolf  in  sheep's  clothing. 
Soon  the  attendance  fell  off,  and  he  changed  the  place 
of  meeting  to  his  own  house  in  the  suburbs.  One  of 
the  young  men,  M.  Dentan,  accepted  a  proposal  to  teach 
for  a  few  months  in  the  country,  where  the  New  Tes- 
tament was  known  and  possessed,  and  accordingly  no 
special  prejudice  against  Protestants  existed.  He  se- 
cured the  good  will  of  the  people,  yet  his  additional 
exertions  to  interest  them  in  the  Gospel  were  not  at- 


A   MEMORIAL.  45 

tended  by  manifest  fruits.  "This  school  was  just  at 
the  extreme  end  of  the  Grande  Ligne  (line),  and  Den- 
tan's  labors  were  the  beginning  of  the  work  which 
God  so  greatly  blessed  in  succeeding  years." 

In  the  Spring  of  1835  Messrs.  Dentan  and  Gavin 
left  Montreal  for  a  location  further  west.  "After  en- 
during great  fatigue  and  encountering  many  difficul- 
ties and  dangers,  they  settled  among  the  Sioux  Indi- 
ans west  of  the  Mississippi,  where  they  established 
missionary  stations.  They  labored  there  for  ten  years, 
but  were  so  discouraged  by  the  want  of  success  and 
the  open  hostility  of  the  Indians,  who  even  attempted 
the  life  of  M.  Dentan,  that  they  retired  from  the  work." 

The  L,ausanne  Committee  desired  M.  Olivier  to  con- 
tinue westward  also,  but  his  judgment,  sustained  by 
the  desires  of  Christian  friends,  was  that  he  should  re- 
main in  Montreal ;  and  his  decision  so  to  do  changed 
his  relations  to  the  Committee.  He  was  left  to  his  own 
course  and  resources.  The  latter  were  recruited  by 
private  teaching  and  taking  boarders.  A  significant 
change  also  took  place  in  respect  to  his  church  rela- 
tionship. Like  Adoniram  Judson,  he  had  studied  the 
subject  of  baptism  on  his  voyage  to  the  West,  very 
carefully  examining  the  original  Scriptures  and  pe- 
rusing controversial  writings  on  each  side  of  the  argu- 
ment. After  much  reflection  and  prayer  he  was  con- 
vinced that  the  immersion  of  a  believer  is  the  only 
Christian  baptism ;  and  he  received  the  ordinance  at 
the  hands  of  Rev.  J.  Gilmour,  pastor  of  the  Baptist 
Church,  Montreal.  Afterwards  he  baptized  his  wife 
and  servant. 

The  labors  of  M.  Olivier  were  of  a  faithful  and  ex- 


46  MADAME   FELLER. 

hausting  character.  "  The  coldness  of  the  Canadian 
winter,  followed  by  the  excessive  heat  of  summer,  was 
more  than  his  enfeebled  constitution  could  endure.  He 
visited  country  towns  and  preached  at  Laprairie,  St. 
Johns,  Berthier  and  other  places,  wherever  he  heard 
that  there  were  families  who  read  the  New  Testament. 
He  conversed  with  passengers  on  steamboats  and  in 
stage  coaches,  and  his  observations  were  generally  re- 
ceived with  respectful  attention.  He  came  to  the. con- 
clusion that  the  morality  of  the  country  was  superior 
to  that  of  the  city,  and  that  the  evangelization  of  Can- 
ada might  be  prosecuted  more  successfully  in  country 
places  than  in  populous  towns.  He  thought,  too,  that 
the  establishment  of  a  missionary  institute  should  be 
regarded  as  an  object  of  first  importance. 

"  His  correspondence  with  brethren  at  Lausanne, 
and  Madame  Olivier's  with  Madame  Feller,  in  which 
they  gave  a  history  of  their  proceedings,  described  the 
difficulties  with  which  they  met  and  set  forth  the  spir- 
itual wants  of  Canada,  produced  powerful  effects.  The 
members  of  the  independent  churches  sympathized 
heartily  with  their  friends  in  Montreal,  and  prayers 
were  offered  continually  for  direction  and  blessing. 
Madame  Feller,  in  particular,  was  deeply  moved.  The 
missionary  cause  was  very  dear  to  her,  and  she  was 
constantly  engaged  in  promoting  its  interests ;  but  she 
longed  for  more  entire  employment  in  the  good  work, 
and  was  willing  to  go  anywhere  and  do  anything  which 
God  might  appoint,  in  furtherance  of  it.  She  prayed 
without  ceasing  for  light  and  grace.  She  was  fearful 
of  being  deceived  or  of  deceiving  others.  All  she  de- 
sired was  to  know  the  will  of  God." — (Cramp.)  Her 


A   MEMORIAL.  47 

mind  was  essentially  like  that  of  Mary  Lyon,  upon 
whose  monument  are  found  the  ruling  words  of  her 
life :  "  The  only  thing  in  this  world  that  I  fear  is  that 
I  shall  not  know  my  duty,  or,  knowing,  shall  fail  to  do 
it." 

Madame  Feller  became  thoroughly  exercised  with 
the  subject  of  her  duty  to  Canada.  She  canvassed  her 
home  relations  to  church  and  family,  and  saw  how  her 
place  in  all  might  be  supplied.  Madame  Olivier  fur- 
nished her  with  needed  information  and  encouraged 
her  to  enter  the  Canadian  mission.  The  independent 
churches  had  assembled,  by  delegates,  for  the  organiza- 
tion of  a  general  missionary  society,  when  a  letter  from 
Monsieur  Olivier  was  received,  at  Lausanne,  in  which 
the  spiritual  necessities  of  Canada  were  described ;  and 
the  question  was  asked  whether  one  of  the  young  men 
would  not  join  him  and  labor  with  him  there.  Ma- 
dame Olivier  had  written  to  Madame  Feller,  at  the  same 
time,  encouraging  and  exhorting  her  to  give  herself  to 
missionary  work.  A  prompt  decision  was  the  result  ; 
she  resolved  at  once  to  join  her  friends  in  Canada ;  and 
a  young  man,  Louis  Roussy,  also  a  member  of  the 
church  at  Lausanne  and  of  the  Missionary  Institute, 
who  was,  at  that  time,  seeking  direction  from  God  in 
reference  to  his  future  movements,  came  to  the  same 
decision.  The  two  met  the  church  on  the  morning  of 
Lord's  Day  and  made  known  their  intentions.  The 
leading,  the  preparation  and  all  the  steps  thus  far  taken, 
evidently  were  of  the  Lord.  In  no  instance  on  record 
were  missionary  antecedents  better  authenticated,  or 
experiences  better  calculated  to  fit  persons  for  the  work 
entered  upon. 


48  MADAME   FELLER. 

Madame  Feller's  resolution  was  very  surprising 
and  even  distressing  to  her  father  and  his  family. 
He,  Monsieur  Odin,  was  incensed  toward  those  who  had 
influenced  his  idolized  Henrietta  to  leave  her  home  to 
become  a  foreign  missionary,  and  sought  to  restrain 
her  by  sending  his  reasons  through  the  lips  of  another. 
M.  Fivaz,  having  returned  from  Havre,  consented  to 
present  the  reasons.  The  reply  was,  in  substance: 
"All  my  father's  objections,  and  many  more,  have 
long  been  under  consideration,  but  I  feel  sure  that  the 
Lord  will  provide  for  filling  up  my  place  in  the  family, 
that  my  departure  will  not  weaken  our  mutual  affec- 
tion or  our  confidence  in  each  other.  My  family  will 
understand  me  and  approve  my  course.  I  had  con- 
templated a  missionary  life  before  I  knew  M.  and 
Madame  Olivier,  and  I  had  thought  of  Canada  before 
they  went  there.  I  have  thought  and  prayed  much  on 
the  subject,  for  I  was  afraid  of  doing  my  own  will. 
But  my  convictions  have  been  continually  strength- 
ened and  confirmed,  and  now  I  am  certain  that  I  am 
answering  God's  call."  To  this  M.  Odin  replied :  "We 
can  do  nothing ;  when  she  makes  up  her  mind  to  any- 
thing it  is  impossible  to  divert  her  from  it.  What 
shall  we  do  without  her !  "  Others  were  not  less  as- 
tounded and  regretful.  Only  the  minority  gave  her 
their  sanction.  And  a  physician  said  to  M.  Roussy : 
"  Take  good  care  of  her ;  you  will  probably  have  to 
bury  her  in  the  sea." 

She  closed  her  business  affairs  as  soon  as  possible 
that  she  might  leave  before  the  approach  of  winter. 
Numerous  meetings  were  held  in  order  to  enjoy  her 
presence  and  conversations  as  much  as  practicable ;  love 


A   MEMORIAL.  49 

feasts,  for  recounting  the  promises  and  strengthening 
one  another  in  missionary  feeling  and  fellowship. 
"  On  one  of  these  occasions  the  building  in  which  they 
met  was  too  small  for  the  company  and  they  adjourned 
to  a  barn,  where  the  presence  of  God  was  realized  in 
a  remarkable  manner."  The  farewell  service  of  the 
sisters  of  the  church  with  her  was  one  long  to  be 
remembered.  The  objects  of  her  benevolence  at  home 
were  affectionately  committed  to  them,  i.  <?.,  the  poor 
and  afflicted,  with  information  and  suggestions  as  to 
each  case.  Then  she  addressed  the  meeting  in  the 
most  tender  manner,  thanking  them  for  sympathy, 
humbly  mentioning  her  imperfections,  and  closing 
with  a  fervent  prayer  for  them  all  and  for  the  contem- 
plated mission,  that  the  divine  promises  might  be  ful- 
filled in  Canada  and  elsewhere. 

The  departure  of  missionaries  at  such  a  time  and 
place,  with  the  various  circumstances — a  single  wom- 
an and  "a  single  man,  under  the  purest  of  motives,  and 
and  in  the  prime  of  life — was  a  "  departure  "  indeed. 
It  was  adapted  to  fill  the  bystanders  with  consterna- 
tion, and  move  the  disciples  who  encouraged  it  to  offer 
fervent  petitions  that  the  wind  and  waves  might  be 
gentle,  and  the  divine  presence  attend  them  all  the 
way.  Transportation  was  then  tedious,  and  there  was 
much  cause  for  solicitude.  And  notwithstanding  the 
faith  and  hope  under  which  they  were  "separated" 
for  the  mission  to  which  the  Spirit  had  called  them, 
the  day  of  the  departure  was  one  of  public  solemnity, 
and  of  mourning  to  some.  It  was  August  17,  1835; 
a  day  that  deserves  to  be  set  in  the  calendar  of  mis- 
sions. She  first  stopped  for  two  days  with  her  step- 
son at  Orbe,  and  he  then  conveyed  her  forward  in  his 


50  MADAME   FELLER. 

carriage  to  the  border.  There  they  were  met  by  many 
Lausanne  friends  who  had  assembled  to  take  a  final 
farewell.  The  parting  was  painful,  but  she  recovered 
her  usual  calmness,  and  taking  the  "  diligence  "  pro- 
ceeded on  her  way,  happy  in  the  thought  that  she  was 
going  in  the  cause  of  God. 

Now  that  they  had  really  started  and  were  out  of 
sight  of  home,  the  missionaries  could  pursue  their 
journey  with  less  disturbance  of  feeling  than  they  be- 
gan it.  Sights  and  scenes,  though  of  minor  interest, 
would  engage  their  attention,  and  the  more  as  they 
reflected  that  probably  this  was  their  last  enjoyment  of 
them.  The  weather  was  excessively  warm,  and  the 
clouds  of  dust  were  very  annoying.  Proceeding  by 
the  direct  northwest  road,  after  three  weary  days  they 
arrived  at  Paris.  There  they  occupied  two  days  in 
resting  and  receiving  former  Lausanne  friends,  and 
then  went  on  to  Havre,  the  port  of  embarkation,  and 
there  also  were  cordially  received  by  the  Christians  of 
the  town. 

The  arrival  at  Havre  occurred  on  August  26,  1835. 
The  departure  was  delayed  until  the  2Oth  of  Septem- 
ber. The  packet  leaving  sooner  did  not  have  such 
accommodations  as  they  expected  and  needed,  and  they 
took  passage  by  the  Francis  de  Pace,  which  furnished 
them  elegant  staterooms  and  at  half  price,  with  very 
kind  attentions.  While  detained  they  used  some  time 
in  labors  essentially  missionary,  knowing  that  no  op- 
portunity should  be  lost.  M.  Roussy  preached  on  the 
quays  and  on  board  the  ships  lying  in  the  harbor,  and 
Madame  Feller  assisted  the  wife  of  the  clergyman  of  the 
town  in  visiting  the  sick.  Leaving  Havre  on  Sunday 
morning,  September  20,  and  sailing  against  rough  and 


LOUIS  ROUSSY. 


A   MEMORIAL.  51 

contrary  winds,  they  reached  New  York  October  23. 
Madame  Feller  was  mercifully  preserved  from  extreme 
sea-sickness,  and  bore  the  inconvenience  of  the  voyage 
remarkably  well.  The  captain  thought  her  very  cour- 
ageous and  experienced  in  sea  voyaging,  sometimes 
offering  his  arm  for  a  walk  on  deck  and  saying,  "  Cheer 
up,  Madame!  You  walk  like  a  sailor;  if  you  had  not 
taken  courage  at  first  you  would  have  been  lying  in 
bed  now  like  the  others." 

It  will  be  inferred  that  these  missionaries  were  use- 
ful on  board  in  such  matters  as  required  attention. 
When  the  ocean  was  boisterous  and  passengers  were 
shaken  up  and  thrown  down,  Madame  Feller  might 
have  been  seen  seated  on  the  floor,  rendering  assistance 
to  some  of  the  sick,  and  taking  her  chances  in  being 
hurled  to  and  fro.  The  vessel  also  suffered  a  dead 
calm  at  times,  which  it  was  equally  unpleasant  to  en- 
counter. After  alternate  storm  and  calm,  cloud  and 
sunshine,  the  ship  was  found  to  be  within  eight  miles 
of  the  mouth  of  New  York  Bay ;  but  next  morning  a 
thick  fog  enveloped  it,  and  it  could  not  proceed.  It 
put  back  to  sea  for  a  short  distance,  lest  it  be  driven 
upon  the  rocks  or  sandbanks.  Two  days  later — two 
days  of  impatience  that  was  painful  to  passengers  so 
near  their  change  from  sea  to  land — the  fog  lifted ;  then 
the  gloom  returned;  then  all  was  clear  again,  and  it 
was  discovered  that  it  lay  in  company  with  a  dozen 
vessels  in  the  same  predicament,  and  within  three 
miles  of  the  opening  of  the  bay.  "  The  sight  of  the 
land,"  said  M.  Roussy,  "  the  green  hue,  the  bright  sun, 
the  pleasure  of  arrival,  and,  above  all,  the  goodness  and 
care  of  our  God  filled  our  hearts  with  joy  and  thank- 
fulness." 


52  MADAME    FELLER. 


V. 


tH*  gielb—  THE  HUDSON,  LAKE 

CHAMPLAIN,  RICHELIEU;  ST.  JOHNS, 
MONTREAL;  RECEPTION,  WARM  AND 
COLD;  IMPRESSIONS,  REPRESSION; 
MISSIONARIES  AT  ST.  JOHNS;  MRS. 
LORE;  HER  CONVERSION  AND  DEATH. 

IN  America  !  —  to  live,  labor,  and  be  buried  is  the 
brief  record  of  the  earnest  souls  who  left  their 
country  and  kindred  in  the  cause  of  Him  who  loved 
them  and  gave  Himself  for  them.  It  was  given  unto 
them  not  only  to  believe  on  Christ  but  likewise  to  suf- 
fer for  His  sake.  Their  communications,  in  their  own 
land  and  from  the  sea,  proved  their  intelligence  as  to 
their  mission  and  their  sincerity  in  undertaking  it. 
With  a  steady  purpose  and  a  firm  resolve  they  looked 
toward  the  moral  wilderness  north  and  west,  and  re- 
sumed their  journey.  Five  days  in  New  York  enabled 
them  to  feel  the  pulse  of  the  Metropolis,  and  to  attain 
the  desire  to  depart  for  their  field.  Taking  a  steamer 
on  the  historic  Hudson,  with  an  escort,  they  pro- 
ceeded to  Albany,  and  thence  to  Troy,  where  the  mode 
of  conveyance  changed  to  that  of  the  old-time  canal- 
boat,  the  best  that  the  age  afforded.  After  seventy- 
five  slowly-measured  miles  traveled  in  this  way  they 
reached  Whitehall,  where  they  took  a  steamer  over 


A   MEMORIAL.  53 

Lake  Champlain,  a  body  of  water  vital  with  historic 
interest  and  memories  of  Ticonderoga,  Crown  Point, 
and  sanguinary  conflicts  upon  its  placid  bosom.  En- 
listed only  in  the  army  of  the  Lord,  how  trifling  those 
battles  would  have  appeared  to  them,  except  as  they 
aided  in  opening  the  country  to  a  different  govern- 
ment and  better  religion.  The  breaking  of  the  French 
power  here  in  the  preceding  century  must  have  re- 
curred to  them  as  one  of  the  overturnings  of  the 
Almighty,  which  opened  to  them  a  mission  field  along 
the  St.  Lawrence. 

The  steamer  conveyed  them  over  the  full  length 
of  the  lake,  which  penetrates  about  six  miles  into  Can- 
ada, and  on  down  the  river  Sorel,  or  Richelieu,  to  St. 
Johns.  Here  they  landed  on  the  morning  of  Satur- 
day, October  31,  1835,  about  thirty  miles  southeast  of 
Montreal.  Madame  Feller  had  requested  the  captain 
to  notify  her  of  the  crossing  of  the  Canadian  boundary, 
and  on  being  so  informed  she  dropped  upon  her  knees 
and  gave  herself  anew  to  the  work  of  redeeming  it 
from  the  thralldom  of  sin.  "And,"  says  Rev.  A.  L. 
Therrien,  "  when  on  the  river  shore  at  St.  Johns  she 
for  the  first  time  placed  her  foot  on  Canadian  soil,  she 
sought  shelter  from  human  eyes  behind  a  pile  of  lum- 
ber, and  there  on  the  wet  sand  and  in  the  falling  rain 
poured  out  her  soul  before  God  in  behalf  of  the  French 
Canadians  to  whom  she  was  bringing  the  Gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ." 

It  was  cold  and  rainy.  The  prospect  could  not 
cheer.  Only  the  devotion  of  the  spirit,  sustained  by 
an  unfaltering  trust  in  Him  whom  they  served  availed 
the  missionaries  just  then.  "  It  was  the  worst  time  of 


54  MADAME    FELLER. 

the  year  for  the  weather,  the  roads  and  the  aspect  of 
the  country.  There  were  no  railroads  then,  and 
scarcely  any  roads  at  all  worth  the  name.  They  had 
left  a  country  of  surpassing  beauty,  and  remarkabk 
above  all  for  the  perfection  of  its  highways  "  (Lafleur). 
A  poet,  Benj.  F.  Leggett,  in  "A  Tramp  Through 
Switzerland,"  says  that  "  the  St.  Gothard  road  is  a 
grand  achievement  of  engineering  skill  ...  a  splen- 
did carriage  road,  tunneling  the  rocks,  sweeping  around 
curves,  zigzagging  up  the  mountain  side,  crawling 
along  the  face  of  perpendicular  ledges,  or  spanning  the 
white  river  of  foam  a  hundred  feet  below."  Time  is  a 
builder  of  roads,  not  less  than  of  cities  and  men. 

It  being  the  aim  of  the  missionaries  to  go  to  Mon- 
treal, they  tarried  in  St.  Johns  only  for  a  hasty  and  un- 
satisfactory breakfast.  Then  came  an  experience  with 
mud  and  a  stage  coach.  After  a  drive  for  five  tedious 
hours,  over  roads  which  at  that  season  are  almost  im- 
passable, they  arrived  at  Laprairie,  only  fourteen  miles 
northwest,  a  town  on  the  St.  I/awrence  several  miles 
above  Montreal,  on  the  opposite  bank.  The  boat  for 
the  latter  had  just  left  the  landing,  and  they  were 
obliged  to  wait  two  hours  for  another — a  rowboat,  it  is 
said.  They  reached  their  destination  in  the  afternoon, 
and  had  a  joyous  reception  by  the  Oliviers,  who  had 
patiently  looked  for  their  arrival.  "  M.  Olivier  had  been 
at  the  wharf  day  after  day,  expecting  them,  and  had 
returned  home  that  afternoon,  as  before,  disappointed 
and  depressed.  His  surprise  and  delight,  when  a  car- 
riage stopped  at  the  door  and  the  long-looked-for  mis- 
sionaries appeared,  may  be  imagined.  Joy  and  thanks- 
giving filled  the  house  that  evening." 


A   MEMORIAL.  55 

Having  forborne  thus  far  to  present  copious  ex- 
tracts of  Madame  Feller's  letters  and  devout  thoughts 
concerning  herself  and  her  mission,  the  reader  may  be 
glad  to  know  her  feelings  on  reaching  the  place  of  be- 
ginning. Much  of  her  writing  is  pleasant  and  heart- 
touching,  but  limitations  of  space  require  its  abridg- 
ment in  this  narrative.  The  following  selections  will 
interest  just  here : 

A  voyage  used  to  be  thought  of  as  something  terrible, 
but  now  I  could  as  easily  undertake  one  as  engage  in  an 
excursion  in  Switzerland,  and  I  should  be  no  more  afraid 
of  recrossing  the  ocean  than  of  passing  over  our  L,ake 
Leman.  The  power  of  God  is  so  glorious  on-  the  ocean 
that  I  seemed  to  see  Him  in  a  new  light,  and  was  unspeak- 
ably happy  in  the  contemplation.  I  can  hardly  believe 
that  I  have  made  so  long  a  voyage  and  am  now  so  far  from 
you.  My  heart  is  as  near  you  as  ever.  I  am  following  you, 
dear  Fanny,  as  your  shadow  Oh,  do  not  forget,  beloved 
ones,  that  on  this  far-off  shore  one  of  your  members  is 
living,  separated  from  you  in  body,  but  not  in  soul.  I 
love  you  better  than  when  I  was  a  Christian  only  in  name. 
My  dear  father !  I  entreat  you  not  to  accuse  anyone  of  hav- 
ing drawn  me  into  the  course  I  have  taken.  It  was  not 
in  the  power  of  any  human  being  to  fill  my  soul  with 
love  to  the  Lord.  For  years  I  have  closely  observed  what 
was  passing  in  my  own  mind.  I  calculated  all  the  conse- 
quences and  wished  to  repress  the  pious  development ;  but 
whenever  I  made  the  attempt  I  felt  that  I  was  resisting 
God,  and  became  unhappy.  Do  not  any  more  call  that 
fanaticism  which  is  the  only  reasonable  service  we  owe  to 
the  Great  Master.  I  conjure  you,  as  on  my  knees,  have 
pity  on  your  soul.  Hasten  to  be  reconciled  to  God.  Then, 
your  heart  filled  with  love  to  the  Savior,  you  will  compre- 
hend how  it  is  that  your  daughter,  who,  ten  years  ago,  ob- 


56  MADAME   FELLER. 

tained  forgiveness  of  her  sins,  enjoys  the  sweet  peace  of 
Jesus  ;  how  it  is  that  she  has  been  led  to  desire  to  live  only 
for  Him  who  died  for  her. 

The  missionaries  were  now  entering  upon  their  first 
winter  in  the  new  country  and  upon  untried  service. 
They  did  not  await  favoring  conditions ;  none  would 
appear— !they  began  at  once — began  in  Montreal,  a  cita- 
del of  Romanism.  Madame  Feller  commenced  by 
home  visitations,  instruction  of  the  children,  and  dis- 
tribution of  the  Scriptures ;  read  the  word  of  God  in 
the  homes,  and .  conversed  on  its  truths  and  promises. 
Very  naturally  "  her  endeavors  were  strenuously  re- 
sisted by  the  priests,  who  commanded  the  members  of 
their  flocks  to  commit  the  Bibles  to  the  flames,  and 
discountenanced  all  intercourse  with  the  missionary. 
A  small  school  was  opened,  which  encountered  the 
same  difficulties  and  discouragements."  Her  letter  of 
January  29,  1836,  states  particulars: 

In  the  midst  of  many  difficulties  and  much  opposition 
we  have  been  enabled  by  the  favor  of  God  to  commence  a 
school,  with  seven  children.  Many  others  came  for  a  short 
time,  and  then  left,  but  the  first  seven,  who  persevered, 
notwithstanding  the  threatenings  of  the  priests,  give  us 
joy  and  hope.  Only  one  of  them  can  read.  These  children 
are  remarkably  rough  in  their  manners ;  yet  they  are  so 
happy  in  coming  to  us  that  they  seem  rather  like  children 
going  to  two  mothers  than  to  two  mistresses  ;  and  we,  on 
our  part,  receive  them  with  the  warm  affection  of  motherly 
love.  The  parents  of  our  dear  little  Canadians  receive  us 
with  pleasure,  and  listen  to  the  reading  of  God's  word. 
.  .  .  We  find  in  the  city  the  unruliness  and  ignorance 
of  savages,  joined  with  the  vices  of  civilization.  These 
people  are,  in  fact,  the  worst  kind  of  pagans  ;  their  idolatry, 


A   MEMORIAL.  57 

adorned  with  the  name  of  God  and  Christ,  is  hidden  from 
them  by  the  hirelings  who  hold  the  truth  in  unrighteous- 
ness. In  most  of  the  families  in  which  any  of  the  mem- 
bers can  read  they  are  generally  disposed  to  buy  the  word 
of  life.  Wherever  the  priests  learn  that  there  is  a  Testa- 
ment, the  owner  is  commanded  to  burn  it ;  and  they  have 
forbidden  their  flocks,  from  the  pulpit,  to  receive  me  or  to 
listen  to  me  ...  I  have  been  driven  from  three  houses, 
but  have  been  welcomed  in  others  and  invited  to  return. 

"  Meanwhile  M.  Roussy  had  obtained  a  school  at 
L/Acadie.  He  held  it  for  two  months  only.  His 
evangelical  leanings  could  not  be  endured  by  the 
priest  of  the  district ;  for  he  preached  from  house  to 
house.  Dismissed  from  the  school,  he  resolved  to 
engage  in  Gospel  work  as  an  evangelist,  and  soon  had 
cause  to  thank  God  for  the  enforced  change.  Several 
instances  of  conversion  occurred,  and  there  were 
promising  appearances  of  a  spiritual  harvest." — 
(Cramp.) 

A  cloud  had  been  gathering  over  their  prospects 
in  the  illness  of  M.  Olivier;  and  at  the  opening  of 
spring  he  found  himself  entirely  disabled,  and  was 
advised  by  his  physician  to  return  to  the  milder 
climate  of  Switzerland.  He  and  his  good  wife  had 
been  faithful,  and  though  by  earnest  application  for 
more  than  a  year  they  had  been  permitted  to  lead  to 
Christ  only  three  French  Canadians,  in  a  city  of  thirty 
thousand,  still  the  beginnings  were  as  promising  as 
usual  among  benighted  or  blinded  people  anywhere. 
He  consoled  himself  with  the  consideration  "  that  he 
had  at  least  been  the  bell  to  call  other  laborers  into 
the  field."  She  had  labored  zealously  with  Madame 


58  MADAME    FELLER. 

Feller,  who  keenly  felt  the  loss  of  her  help  and  soci- 
ety. The  latter's  health  occasioned  anxiety  also,  but 
she  was  ready  to  be  offered  upon  the  altar  of  Canada's 
redemption,  to  live  or  to  die,  and  did  not  listen  very 
submissively  to  an  alarm. 

It  was  now  April  22,  1836,  and  our  heroine  was 
thirty-six  years  of  age;  still  youthful,  indeed,  consider- 
ing the  extent  of  her  experience,  the  maturity  of  her 
character,  and  the  greatness  of  her  undertaking.  She 
was  confronted  with  a  life  of  loneliness,  in  respect  to 
female  society,  since  her  beloved  associate,  Madame 
Olivier,  was  about  to  return  to  the  old  country. 
Scarcely  six  months  of  associated  labor  had  been  en- 
joyed. Not  even  the  "  two  and  two"  plan  of  Gospel 
work  was  longer  accorded  to  her,  except  as  she  was 
related  in  the  mission  to  Mr.  Roussy.  She  saw  the 
difficulties  and  dangers  of  her  position,  in  the  midst  of 
ignorant  and  powerful  people,  "  who  were  never  known 
to  be  scrupulous  in  the  employment  of  means  for 
crushing  the  objects  of  their  dislike." 

She  wrote  to  a  friend  in  Switzerland:  "All  the 
winter  our  horizon  was  bounded  by  darkness ;  nothing 
could  be  more  gloomy  than  our  future.  But  do  not 
think  that  we  were  unhappy ;  peace  always  filled  our 
souls;  confidence  in  our  gracious  God  never  left  us. 
.  .  .  When  we  conversed  on  the  probable  conse- 
quences that  would  follow  our  separation,  they  (the 
Oliviers)  were  pierced  with  grief.  But  I  did  not  come 
here  on  their  account.  Before  I  left  Switzerland  I 
foresaw  that  I  might  find  myself  in  my  present  state. 
I  did  not  enter  into  this  career  under  any  delusion.  I 
sat  down  to  count  the  cost  before  I  began  to  build  the 


A   MEMORIAL.  59 

tower.  I  had  not  overlooked  the  loneliness,  the  aban- 
donment, the  poverty,  or  even  death  in  a  hospital. 
.  .  .  Oh  !  how  favorable  will  my  position  be  to  the 
crucifixion  of  self !  And  how  shall  I  be  led  to  seek 
that  participation  of  the  fullness  of  Jesus,  which  will 
realize  all  I  have  longed  for."* 

The  opposition  of  Romanists  to  Protestants,  exist- 
ing for  ages,  was  active  at  the  time  under  review, 
and  it  was  not  strange  that  after  six  months  of  Chris- 
tian activity  in  Montreal,  the  hotbed  of  Romanism  in 
the  Canadas,  it  should  become  unendurable.  The 
priests  and  the  nuns  succeeded  in  closing  all  doors 
against  Madame  Feller.  But  she  had  become  ac- 
quainted with  the  people,  their  character,  ways  and 
religious  ideas,  and  thus  prepared  herself  for  the  larger 
work  which  Providence  had  in  reserve  for  her.  Mon- 
treal, closed  now  to  the  Gospel  for  the  French,  was  to 
be  opened  at  a  later  day  and  a  good  degree  of  success 
achieved.  "  Mr.  Roussy  remained  but  ten  days  in 
Montreal  and  then  left  for  Grande  L,igne  to  take  charge 
of  a  primary  school  entirely  Roman  Catholic.  After 
his  school  hours  he  would  devote  his  time  to  making 
the  Gospel  known  around  him.  The  parish  priest 
having  heard  of  this  had  the  school  closed  by  his  sole 
authority,  none  of  the  parties  interested  having  the 
courage  to  make  any  opposition,  to  retain  a  school- 
teacher superior  to  any  one  they  had  known  before." 

Madame  Feller,  thus  compelled  to  leave  Montreal, 
retreated  to  St.  Johns,  where  she  first  landed.  Having 


*A  few  years  after  the  return  to  Lausanne,  Madame  Olivier  died  ;  and 
years  later  Monsieur  Olivier  died,  at  the  home  of  a  Vaudois  pastor,  in  one 
of  the  valleys  of  Piedmont. 


60  MADAME   FELLER. 

engaged  rooms  there  for  herself  and  a  school,  she  en- 
tered the  place  on  May  2yth,  about  one  month  after  the 
departure  of  the  Oliviers.  Mr.  Roussy  united  with 
her  in  effort  in  that  place,  hoping  to  establish  a  preach- 
ing station.  But  it  also  seemed  to  be  a  barren  field. 
"  Priestly  opposition  could  not  be  overcome.  He  had 
obtained  the  use  of  the  Methodist  chapel,  and  sought 
to  gain  an  introduction  for  the  Gospel  by  colportage. 
All  his  endeavors  were  useless.  Not  only  did  the  in- 
habitants of  St.  Johns,  generally,  refuse  to  listen  to 
him,  but  some  of  them  employed  force.  The  French 
Canadian  women  set  themselves  against  the  truth,  and 
so  maltreated  Mr.  Roussy  that  he  was  compelled  to 
desist  from  his  labors." 

Madame  Feller's  account  of  the  situation  is  thus 
given  :  "  We  came  to  St.  Johns,  feeling  our  way,  and 
considering  it  as  a  place  of  observation,  in  which  we 
might  ascertain  whether  we  should  pitch  our  tent 
there  or  in  any  other  spot.  We  had  not  long  to  wait 
before  we  saw  that  this  village  shut  all  its  doors 
against  us.  Brother  R.  began  to  preach.  At  first 
he  had  a  few  hearers,  but  after  a  little  while  no  one 
attended.  He  tried  to  publish  the  Gospel  from  house 
to  house,  but  with  two  or  three  exceptions  he  was  ill 
treated  and  driven  away.  At  one  place  he  was  beaten 
by  a  crowd  of  women  who  fell  upon  him,  armed  with 
sticks.  This  was  noised  abroad.  '  The  minister  who 
was  beaten '  was  the  subject  of  common  talk,  and 
hatred  became  more  violent."  Contempt  easily  grew 
into  hatred. 

"  I  had  made  the  acquaintance  of  a  considerable 
number  of  women,  to  whom  I  read  and  explained  the 


A    MEMORIAL.  6l 

word  of  God.  They  listened  for  a  time,  and  some  of 
them  seemed  to  be  seeking  the  truth ;  but  it  was  not 
even  '  the  morning  dew.'  I  soon  saw  that  they  were 
influenced  by  self-interest ;  they  would  have  willingly 
left  off  going  to  mass  if  I  had  paid  them  well.  As 
there  is  no  free  school  here  I  offered  to  instruct 
their  children.  My  offer  was  joyfully  accepted,  and  I 
began  a  school ;  but  the  priest  forbade  them  to  allow 
their  children  to  come  to  me,  and  the  project  fell  to 
the  ground."  The  expenses  of  living,  including  the 
cost  of  keeping  a  horse,  so  necessary  to  Mr.  Roussy, 
were  so  heavy  as  to  justify  their  removal. 

During  their  short  stay  in  St.  Johns  they  had  a 
token  from  the  I/ord  which  sustained  their  belief  that 
He  was  pleased  with  their  offering  of  themselves  on 
His  altar.  It  was  the  example  of  one  who  had  for- 
saken popery,  and  had  the  privilege  of  protesting 
against  its  tyranny  in  a  public  way.  One  of  the  con- 
verts in  I/Acadie  had  died,  witnessing  to  the  saving 
power  of  Christ  to  the  very  last,  in  the  face  of  contempt 
from  Romanists,  even  of  her  own  domestic  circle.  It 
was  Madame  L,ore,  who  figures  strongly  in  the  starting 
of  the  Grande  I/igne  Mission.  She  was  the  daughter 
of  a  French  sailor,  who  lived  near  to  Boston  and  where 
she  passed  her  childhood  years.  She  then  enjoyed  the 
privilege  of  hearing  and  reading  the  word  of  God.  But 
her  father  was  married  to  a  Catholic  and  removed  to 
Canada,  and  there  she  also  married  a  Catholic,  em- 
braced his  religion  and  practised  it  for  twenty  years. 
Recalling  her  early  habits  of  reading  the  Bible,  she 
again  turned  to  it  and  continued  to  peruse  it  to  the 
end  of  her  life ;  was  enlightened  and  renounced  Ro- 


62  MADAME   FELLER. 

inanism.  It  was  not  until  her  sixty-eighth  year,  how- 
ever, that  she  met  the  needed  help  to  becoming  a 
Christian ;  not  until  Mr.  Roussy  went  to  L/Acadie  to 
labor.  He  was  the  means  of  securing  to  her  the  joys 
of  pardon.  After  making  her  acquaintance  he  went  to 
visit  one  of  her  married  daughters,  residing  at  Grande 
Ivigne,  and  gladly  was  admitted  to  her  home,  with  the 
privilege  of  preaching  there.  Great  blessings  followed 
— the  conversion  of  souls  and  the  full,  successful  intro- 
duction of  evangelical  religion  among  the  French  Ro- 
manists of  Canada. 

Mrs.  L/ore  became  a  great  help  to  Mr.  Roussy.  Her 
heart  and  house  were  open  at  all  times.  She  gave  him 
the  use  of  her  horse  and  cariole  for  his  missionary 
tours,  and  sent  her  son  to  conduct  him  over  roads  with 
which  he  was  not  acquainted;  always  waiting  and 
watching  for  their  arrival  at  whatever  hour  of  the 
night.  On  being  fatally  ill,  Madame  Feller  and  Mr. 
Roussy  attended  her  constantly,  and  were  made  glad 
by  the  continual  testimony  she  bore  to  the  saving  grace 
of  Christ,  and  her  unswerving  opposition  to  Romanism 
and  to  the  offices  of  the  priests  when  urged  upon  her 
by  a  neighbor.  As  her  sufferings  became  excessive 
her  anxiety  to  depart  and  be  with  Christ  increased, 
and  often  she  asked  that  her  pulse  might  be  examined 
and  she  informed  if  the  moment  of  release  were  not 
near.  At  length  her  suffering  abated ;  the  end  was  at 
hand,  and  her  countenance  was  radiant  with  peace  and 
joy. 

A  great  number  visited  her  during  her  sickness, 
and  the  missionaries  were  by  no  means  neglectful  of 
the  opportunity  for  talking  Christ  to  them.  She  de- 


A    MEMORIAL.  63 

sired  to  see  all  of  her  relatives  before  her  death,  but 
many  of  them  refused  to  visit  her,  claiming  that  she 
had  dishonored  her  family  by  changing  her  religion, 
and  accusing  her  of  having  brought  on  her  death  by 
fatiguing  journeys  to  Grande  Ligne  to  attend  meet- 
ings there.  Her  home  was  about  six  miles  from  the 
place  of  meeting,  and  when  the  horses  were  needed  for 
something  else  she  walked,  never  failing  to  go.  In 
reply  to  expression  of  surprise  that  one  of  her  age 
should  be  able  to  walk  so  far,  especially  as  she  had  not 
shown  the  ability  previously,  she  said, "I  serve  so  good 
a  Master  this  year;  He  increases  my  strength." 

Her  body  was  borne  to  St.  Johns  and  admitted  to 
honorable  sepulture  in  the  English  burial  ground. 
None  of  her  relatives  and  no  Canadian  in  her  neighbor- 
hood would  accompany  it.  However,  several  respect- 
able people  in  St.  Johns  assisted ;  an  old  Canadian  on 
the  way  joined  the  procession,  and  a  gentleman  rode 
in  advance  and  caused  the  bell  to  be  tolled,  which  was 
very  unusual  for  a  funeral.  Order  prevailed  during 
the  ceremonies,  though,  in  view  of  the  rage  among  the 
Catholics,  a  disturbance  was  feared.  The  deceased  had 
been  told  that  if  she  forsook  the  faith,  Romanism,  she 
would  be  refused  honorable  interment  and  would  be 
buried  in  disgrace,  in  the  field.  But  the  enemies  were 
utterly  confounded  by  the  outcome.  Her  respectable 
burial,  as  also  her  triumphant  death  and  eminently 
good  life  bore  strongly  against  Romanism  and  were 
influential  for  the  almost  friendless  cause  of  Protest- 
antism. Mrs.  L,ore  had  been  a  nurse  to  the  sick,  a 
comforter  of  the  afflicted,  a  friend  to  the  poor,  a  coun- 
sellor and  mother  to  all.  Above  all,  she  maintained 


64  MADAME    FEELER. 

her  faith  in  the  Book ;  she  read  it,  and  it  elevated  her 
life  and  strengthened  her  to  abandon  popery  and  to 
secure  deliverance  from  its  power  for  her  children,  her 
son-in-law  and  her  daughters-in-law,  who  joined  her  in 
receiving  the  word  of  God.  Hers  was  the  first  death 
that  occurred  in  the  little  company  of  disciples,  "  scat- 
tered and  peeled"  and  without  a  certain  dwelling-place. 
It  was  one  of  those  peculiar  "providences"  that  con- 
tribute to  the  furtherance  of  the  Gospel.  The  com- 
munity were  awakened,  and  reasonable  views  devel- 
oped in  the  minds  of  some  who  without  this  occurrence 
would  have  remained  dormant  if  not  on  the  wrong 
side.  Then  there  was  the  victory  of  one  soul  over 
spiritual  despotism  and  over  the  grave — the  gaining, 
likewise,  of  honorable  sepulture. 


A   MEMORIAL.  65 


VI. 


LEVEQUE 

HOUSE;  INCURRING  DANGER;  SOME 
LONGING  FOR  LIGHT;  PRIESTS  INTER- 
FERE; MR.  RO  USSY  ITINERATING;  HER- 
OINE IN  THE  GARRET;  FIRST  CHURCH 
FORMED;  SCHOOL-  HOUSE  ERECTED; 
PATRIOTS'  REBELLION;  EXILE. 


missionaries  were  still  unsettled.  Their  ex- 
-*-  perience  in  this  respect  was  like  that  of  pioneers 
in  the  missionary  cause  generally.  The  country  was 
before  them,  but  with  opposition  to  the  work  they 
proposed  to  do  for  the  souls  of  the  inhabitants.  Fix- 
ing a  location  was  but  to  invite  persecution.  A  per- 
manent home  was  hardly  to  be  hoped  for,  but  there 
was  permanent  work  for  their  hands,  and  with  re- 
newed resolution  they  looked  for  another  center  of 
operations.  Mr.  Roussy,  undaunted  by  his  dismissal 
from  the  school  at  L/Acadie,  had  preached  the  Gos- 
pel throughout  the  adjacent  regions.  An  indication 
of  providential  favor  was  found  in  the  opening  of  a 
private  house  for  meeting,  as  stated:  the  home  of 
Mr.  L,eveque,  son-in-law  of  Madame  Lore,  whose 
abandonment  of  Romanism  has  been  noted. 

This   house  was    situated    on  what   came   to  be 
known    as   The   Grande  Ligne.      A    grande   ligne  is 


66  MADAME   FELLER. 

simply  a  division  line  between  districts,  or  conces- 
sions of  government  land,  usually  a  straight  line,  ex- 
tending several  miles.  It  becomes  a  road,  along 
which  homes  are  established;  and  the  one  men- 
tioned became  so  prominent  as  a  mission  center  that 
the  place  assumed  the  name  given.  Thither  the 
thoughts  of  the  missionaries  turned.  It  was  felt  by 
them  that  it  would  be  necessary  to  stand  away  from 
the  cities  and  begin  the  mission  among  a  more  quiet 
population.  And  such  an  opportunity  was  presented 
and  embraced ;  the  friendships  of  some  of  the  Cana- 
dians there  giving  assurance  that  peace  might  pre- 
vail and  the  missionaries  not  be  molested.  Scarcely 
four  months  had  been  spent  in  St.  Johns,  and  less 
than  one  year  in  Canada,  and  in  this  brief  time  they 
had  been  persecuted  and  compelled  to  flee  from  two 
cities  and  seek  a  home  in  the  open  country.  The  as- 
sailants, not  satisfied  with  abusing  human  beings, 
vented  their  wickedness  upon  Mr.  Roussy's  horse, 
and  tried  to  kill  him ;  but  the  blows  which  at  first 
seemed  fatal  proved  to  be  only  deep  flesh  wounds 
that  after  some  weeks,  it  was  hoped,  would  be  healed. 
Yielding  to  the  impression  that  Grande  L,igne 
was  the  place  God  had  purposed  for  her,  Madame 
Feller  removed  thither  in  September,  1836.  Some  of 
the  inhabitants  had  desired  her  to  settle  among  them, 
feeling  the  need  of  instruction ;  parents  as  well  as 
children.  But  there  was  no  school-house,  nor  a  lot 
on  which  one  might  be  built  at  that  time.  Meetings 
had  been  held  in  Mr.  L,eveque's  house,  a  poor  cabin. 
Two  small  rooms  in  the  garret,  though  unfinished,  were 
available  for  her  use;  and  when  ready  she  entered 


A   MEMORIAL.  67 

them,  with  joy  and  thanksgiving,  feeling  that  her  way 
and  her  task  were  alike  ordered  of  the  Lord,  and  that 
expected  trials  would  be  for  her  good  and  His  glory. 

The  beginning  was  small.  The  rooms  were  about 
twelve  feet  square,  each.  One  of  them  was  her  cham- 
ber, the  other  answered  the  purposes  of  parlor,  kitchen 
and  schoolroom.  In  such  narrow  circumstances  was 
commenced  the  conquest  of  the  land  to  a  pure  Chris- 
tianity— -the  attic  of  a  log  house  for  a  fort  and  an  un- 
formed company  of  children  of  which  to  make  an  army, 
and  with  the  ignorant  and  hostile  Canaanite  in  the  land. 
With  a  steady  purpose  and  a  firm  resolve  she  entered 
upon  a  life  campaign.  "  From  nine  in  the  morning  till 
noon,  and  from  two  till  five  in  the  afternoon  she  in- 
structed children,  upwards  of  twenty  being  generally 
present.  At  six  in  the  evening  there  was  a  meeting 
for  adults,  which  partook  of  the  character  of  a  school 
and  a  Bible  class.  At  that  meeting,  after  the  elemen- 
tary part  of  the  business  had  been  despatched,  she  read 
and  explained  portions  of  the  Scripture  and  answered 
innumerable  questions  respecting  the  truths  of  the 
Gospel.  So  deeply  interested  were  those  who  attended 
that  the  exercises  were  not  infrequently  prolonged 
until  midnight." 

An  increase  of  knowledge  so  greatly  desirable  was 
not  the  only  consideration  with  either  teacher  or  pupil. 
Enlightenment  was  not  the  end,  but  the  means ;  and 
great  was  the  gratification  attending  the  soul's  submis- 
sion to  Jesus  Christ,  the  highest  aim  in  all  efforts. 
"  The  work  prospers  at  Grande  Ligne,"  wrote  Mad- 
ame Feller;  "we  have  there  about  twenty  Protestants, 
who  have  entirely  abandoned  Popery,  and  we  are 


68  MADAME    FELLER. 

happy  to  inform  you  that  six  of  them  give  satisfactory 
proof  that  they  are  Christians." 

There  seems  to  have  been  an  unspoken  longing 
in  the  minds  of  some  for  such  a  blessing  as  the  Gospel 
brings.  The  Canadians  were  not  an  entire  exception 
in  the  human  family,  to  which  "  The  Desire  of  all  Na- 
tions "  was  to  be  a  welcome  guest.  One  of  the  very  first 
converts  said  to  Madame  Feller :  "Before  I  saw  you, 
I  had  asked  God  to  send  some  one  to  instruct  us  and 
our  children.  I  did  not  mention  it  to  anybody,  because 
I  did  not  see  how  it  could  be  done.  But  I  continued  to 
pray,  and  now  you  have  come."  Mr.  L,eveque,  whose 
house  was  being  used,  could  not  read,  though  forty- 
two  years  of  age.  He  also  cherished  a  longing  for 
Scripture  truth,  saying,  "I  take  the  Bible — I  hold  it  in 
my  hand.  I  look  at  it,  I  open  it — would  that  I  could 
read  it !  I  can  not  tell  you  my  distress ;  I  am  heart 
broken.  I  would  ask  the  Lord  to  work  a  miracle  for 
me,  so  that  I  might  be  able  to  read ;  but  He  will  do  it 
in  giving  me  understanding.  Oh,  if  I  could  once 
read  it  to  those  who  are  ignorant !  It  is  not  for  my- 
self only ;  I  would  go  and  read  the  word  of  God  to 
those  who  know  it  not."  Another  man,  about  sixty 
years  of  age,  of  dreadful  temper  and  an  enemy  of  the 
L,eveques  and  of  the  Gospel,  was  found  to  be  in  a  sub- 
dued state  of  mind,  and  willing  to  permit  his  large 
number  of  children  to  learn  to  read.  Considering  him- 
self too  old  to  learn,  he  would  frequently  attend  the 
school  and  listen  to  the  readings  of  the  Bible.  Mid- 
night often  surprised  the  school  while  engaged  in  read- 
ing, explanation,  and  prayer.  The  wife  of  this  man 
reported  that  he  was  sometimes  so  excited  after  the 


A    MEMORIAL.  69 

evening  conferences  that  he  could  not  sleep,  but  talked 
all  night  about  the  things  he  had  heard. 

Such  were  the  indications  of  the  divine  pleasure. 
On  the  other  hand  there  were  displays  of  the  adver- 
sary's displeasure.  Children  were  withdrawn  from  the 
school ;  priests  visited  homes  that  had  received  little 
or  no  attention  previously,  threatened  and  tried  to  turn 
away  those  favorably  disposed  to  the  Mission.  And 
yet  there  was  a  change  to  a  favorable  attitude  toward 
the  Bible  on  the  part  of  one  of  the  opposing  priests, 
showing  the  divine  hand,  and  he  gave  permission  to 
the  family  last  named  to  have  the  children  educated. 
That  husband  and  father,  regardless  of  ridicule,  took 
the  Bible  under  his  arm,  and  going  from  house  to 
house,  sought  out  persons  to  read  to  him  its  precious 
contents.  He  in  turn  told  them  what  he  had  learned 
from  the  holy  book.  And  joy,  such  as  angels  experi- 
ence, filled  the  souls  of  the  workers  on  the  conversion 
of  Benoni  Lore,  who  gradually  had  passed  through  a 
stage  of  distressful  conviction  and  then  fully  and  joy- 
fully entered  the  new  life.  He  then  became  one  of  the 
most  eager  learners  in  the  school. 

Mr.  Roussy  had  quarters  in  a  house  belonging  to 
the  Lore  family,  in  L/Acadie,  and  itinerated  in  the  sur- 
rounding district.  Grande  L/igne  was  the  most  impor- 
tant of  the  seven  or  eight  preaching  stations  he  oc- 
cupied, and  the  mutual  counsel  and  sympathy  enjoyed 
were  doubtless  much  needed.  Madame  Feller's  daily 
associations  with  her  pupils  supplied  in  part  nature's 
demand  for  company.  Her  engagements  were  many, 
though  the  circumstances  were  so  narrow.  The  house- 
keeping came  first  and  required  anxious  attention,  that 


70  MADAME   FELLER. 

life  in  the  garret  might  be  made  tolerable.  Supplies 
of  food  were  difficult  to  get ;  no  butcher,  no  baker  in 
the  neighborhood;  and  from  what  she  could  obtain 
she  cooked  on  Saturday  for  the  meals  of  the  ensuing 
week,  if  meals  the  scanty,  stale  food  could  have  been 
called.  No  servant  to  aid,  to  watch  with  her  or  to  fill 
even  the  social  place  of  a  spider  or  a  cat.  Could  any- 
thing have  been  more  dreary  and  prisonlike  to  one  not 
filled  with  a  great  motive,  in  being  thus  self-incarcer- 
ated! 

Having  come  from  an  old,  well-cultivated  country, 
and  from  personal  circumstances  of  plenty  and  com- 
fort, her  self-denial  was  something  sublime,  when 
viewed  as  an  offering  to  a  misguided  and  gainsaying 
people.  She  had  not  learned  to  make  pastry  or  bread  ; 
and  in  initiating  herself  in  the  difficult  art  of  bread- 
making  she  piqued  herself  upon  her  success,  and  said 
that  she  had  never  eaten  better  bread  in  her  life — a 
happy  disposition  of  turning  everything  into  good,  so 
essential  to  a  missionary.  A  lady  in  New  York  sent 
her  twenty  dollars  with  which  to  buy  a  cow,  and  she 
also  procured  "a  little  pig." 

The  singularity  of  her  life  and  the  superiority  of 
her  character  and  services  made  a  deep  impression  up- 
on the  inhabitants.  And  she  became  eligible  to  homes 
which  would  have  excluded  a  man.  She  was  unspar- 
ing of  herself.  Her  biographer  says:  "Her  labors 
during  the  first  winter  at  Grande  Ligne  were  excessive. 
The  inhabitants  quickly  discovered  that  they  had  ac- 
quired in  her  a  treasure  of  unspeakable  worth,  and 
they  resorted  to  her  in  all  their  needs,  real  or  imagi- 
nary. If  they  wanted  advice,  who  was  so  capable  of 


A   MEMORIAL.  71 

guiding  them  as  this  lady,  whose  wisdom  struck  them 
with  astonishment  and  awe?  If  their  children  were 
sick  they  went  to  her  for  counsel  and  medicine.  She 
often  rendered  them  essential  service  under  their  per- 
sonal ailments,  and  thus  saved  the  expense  of  a  physi- 
cian. If  they  desired  to  correspond  with  relatives  or 
friends  at  a  distance,  so  few  of  them  could  write,  even 
imperfectly,  that  Madame  Feller's  pen  was  frequently 
in  requisition.  In  short,  all  classes  looked  up  to  her 
as  a  benefactor,  and  even  those  whom  priestly  influence 
induced  to  regard  her  with  aversion  as  a  heretic  could 
not  but  confess  her  excellence." 

Reenforcements  from  Switzerland  were  asked  for, 
yet  the  laborers  went  cheerfully  on,  not  wishing  to  be 
relieved  but  only  to  be  helped.  Mr.  Roussy  labored 
unsparingly  of  himself  In  some  places  his  message 
was  rejected  and  his  person  exposed  to  violence.  An 
attempt  was  made  on  one  occasion  to  burn  the  house 
in  which  he  was  preaching.  He  succeeded  in  distrib- 
uting a  large  number  of  copies  of  the  New  Testament. 
Some  of  them  were  destroyed,  in  obedience  to  the  in- 
structions of  the  priests;  but  in  many  instances  the 
word  of  God  was  diligently  read  and  carefully  exam- 
ined, and  a  spirit  of  serious  inquiry  began  to  pervade 
the  whole  district.  Many  were  enlightened;  some 
converted.  On  June  30,  1837,  four  converts  were  bap- 
tized and  united  with  the  missionaries  in  forming  a 
Christian  church.  Three  others  were  added  by  bap- 
tism a  little  later,  and  on  August  i6th  seven  were  bap- 
tized in  the  presence  of  visitors  and  patrons  of  the  mis- 
sion from  Montreal.  Some  of  these  were  very  inter- 
esting, even  striking  cases. 


72  MADAME   FELLER. 

As  this  summer  came  on,  the  heat  of  the  garret  was 
found  to  be  insupportable,  and  it  was  deemed  proper 
to  move  the  school  to  a  neighboring  barn.  There 
Madame  Feller  and  her  infant  institution — in  a  man- 
ger, as  it  were — was  discovered  by  Montreal  friends, 
including  Rev.  J.  Gilmour,  already  mentioned.  These 
friends  were  deeply  moved  as  they  witnessed  the  incon- 
veniences and  sufferings  connected  with  the  location, 
and  which,  as  they  thought,  ought  not  to  be  endured 
longer  than  was  absolutely  necessary.  A  building  was 
a  pressing  necessity  for  purposes  of  teaching,  worship 
and  habitation;  a  more  expensive  plan  that  should 
provide  one  for  each  of  these  objects  could  not  be  con- 
templated. And  how  could  the  means  for  erecting 
that  one  be  obtained  from  the  depths  of  their  poverty  ? 
The  plan  was  still  further  limited  by  resolving  to  erect 
a  school-house  only,  and  to  center  efforts  upon  procur- 
ing a  sufficient  sum  at  once  and  making  it  ready  for 
occupation  before  the  winter.  A  movement  for  a  visit- 
ation in  New  York  State  to  solicit  aid  was  immediately 
on  foot.  Encouragement  in  this  course  was  derived 
from  the  fact  that  the  beneficent  work  of  the  mission 
had  already  reached  beyond  the  border,  southward. 
French  Canadians  had  settled  there,  and  one  family, 
residing  in  Champlain,  N.  Y.,  father,  mother  and  two 
daughters,  had  been  converted  by  the  special  labors  of 
Mr.  Roussy,  and  become  members  of  the  church  at 
Grande  Ligne.  Mr.  Gilmour,  of  Montreal,  was  so 
deeply  interested  in  the  new  enterprise  that  he  accom- 
panied Madame  Feller  and  Mr.  Roussy  in  a  visit  to 
Champlain,  Plattsburg  and  Keeseville,  preached  and 
aided  in  collecting.  Liberal  contributions  were  made. 


A   MEMORIAL.  73 

The  sentiment  of  gratitude  was  awakened ;  the  father 
of  the  family  mentioned  declaring  that  only  after  he 
began  to  see  the  light  and  serve  the  Lord  had  he  begun 
to  live. 

A  small  school-house  was  built,  the  first  structure 
to  indicate  progress;  the  friends  at  Montreal  also 
showing  a  lively,  practical  interest  in  its  erection. 
The  Leveque  family,  which  had  kindly  granted  the 
garret  of  the  cabin  for  Madame  Feller's  use,  now 
yielded  to  her  the  entire  dwelling,  and  temporarily 
domiciled  in  the  new  school-house.  Accommodations 
thus  were  greatly  enlarged.  Besides  the  two  upper 
rooms,  each  twelve  feet  square,  she  could  command 
also  the  entire  lower  part,  twelve  by  twenty-four,  for 
school,  meetings,  and  household  purposes.  Behold 
the  mansion !  Mr.  Roussy,  with  a  brother  of  his 
recently  arrived  from  Switzerland  and  active  in  the 
mission,  took  possession  of  the  garrets,  and  she  the 
ground  floor  quarters ;  they  to  combine  and  share  the 
palatial  conveniences  in  some  satisfactory  way,  and 
offer  them  for  educational  and  religious  uses  to  a  de- 
luded and  gainsaying  people.  Behold  the  opportunity  ! 
Coming  from  picturesque  Switzerland,  from  city  life 
and  the  comforts  of  a  sufficient  income,  Madame  Fel- 
ler now  had  occasion  to  prove  the  sincerity  of  her 
consecration.  It  was  while  thus  situated  that  she 
wrote  to  her  old  home : 

But  could  you  see  these  children  clustering  around  us, 
as  chickens  under  their  mother's  wings ;  if  you  could  hear 
those  who  have  received  Jesus  in  their  hearts,  praising  Him 
for  having  sent  me  to  teach  them  that  they  have  souls,  and 
that  He  is  their  Savior;  if  you  could  see  their  eagerness  to 


74  MADAME 

attend  the  school  and  their  desire  for  instruction ;  if  you 
could  see  these  young  minds,  these  young  hearts,  opening 
to  receive  the  truth  concerning  the  "  one  thing  needful," 
I  am  sure  you  would  bless  our  gracious  God,  who  said  to 
me,  "  Get  thee  out  of  thy  country,  and  from  thy  kindred, 
and  from  thy  father's  house  into  a  land  that  I  will  show 
thee." 

As  with  other  missionaries,  it  required  but  slight 
improvement  of  circumstances  to  enable  her  to  indulge 
an  enlarged  hope,  and  to  encourage  her  friends  to  be 
reconciled  to  her  self-sacrifice.  But  while  the  better 
condition  gave  the  mission  a  better  standing  and  in- 
creased the  desire  for  instruction,  it  also  attracted  to 
it  more  attention  among  its  enemies  and  aroused  in 
them  a  storm  of  persecution.  Not  satisfied  with  re- 
jecting the  truth,  they  wished  to  drive  its  advocates 
from  the  land.  They  sought  opportunity  to  inflict 
injury  upon  them.  Says  Dr.  Cramp :  "  The  discon- 
tent with  British  rule  which  had  been  cherished  by 
many  Canadians,  and  had  been  fostered  for  years  by 
artful  men,  broke  out  into  open  insurrection,  and  the 
ungodly  took  advantage  of  it  to  wreak  their  vengeance 
on  the  servants  of  the  Lord  because  they  had  dis- 
turbed them  in  their  sins.  Various  acts  of  violence 
were  committed  at  the  beginning  of  the  outbreak. 
On  one  occasion  Mr.  Roussy's  life  was  in  danger.  At 
another  time  a  log  of  wood  was  hurled  through  the 
window  at  Madame  Feller,  who  narrowly  escaped  the 
intended  blow.  Rude  mobs  assembled  and  attacked 
the  houses  of  the  converts.  The  manes  and  tails  of 
the  horses  were  cut,  their  gardens  destroyed,  and  all 
sorts  of  insults  lavished  on  them.  The  purpose  to 


FELLER  INSTITUTE,  1890. 


1835.— STILL  STANDING. 


1840.— DESTROYED  BY  FIRE  189O. 


A    MEMORIAL.  75 

drive  them  out  of  the  country  was  openly  avowed,  and 
it  was  feared  that  it  would  be  carried  into  effect  by 
force. 

"At  length  Madame  Feller  and  her  friends  saw  that 
the  danger  was  too  great  to  allow  of  their  remaining, 
and  they  concluded  to  seek  refuge  for  a  time  at  Cham- 
plain,  N.Y.  They  left  the  Grande  L,igne  on  the  first  of 
November,  1837,  in  mournful  procession,  some  walk- 
ing, some  riding,  with  very  little  provision  for  the 
journey,  and  already  exhausted  by  the  anxiety  and 
fatigue  which  they  had  undergone.  Their  arrival  at 
Champlain,  their  reception  there,  their  proceedings 
while  they  remained  in  that  place,  and  their  return  to 
their  homes,  are  graphically  described  in  Madame  Fel- 
ler's letters." 

The  movements  of  the  rebels  always  took  place  in  the 
night.  They  met  in  companies  of  one  hundred,  two  hun- 
dred, and  sometimes  more.  They  were  all  masked  and 
furnished  with  instruments  of  every  kind  imaginable  to 
get  up  a  charivari.  They  went  from  house  to  house,  ming- 
ling with  their  infernal  music  shouts  and  imprecations  still 
more  infernal.  Those  who  did  not  come  out  immediately 
and  join  them  were  pelted  with  stones  and  threatened 
with  fire.  Some  houses  were  entirely  destroyed  with  their 
contents.  .  .  .  Almost  all  of  the  inhabitants  of  Grande 
Ligne  being  patriots  (as  the  rebels  called  themselves),  they 
became  so  violent  that  there  were  no  bounds  to  there  dis- 
orderliness.  Some  friends  came  to  warn  us  that  we  were 
in  danger,  and  that  we  ought  to  remove  as  quickly  as  pos- 
sible, and  absent  ourselves  for  some  time.  But  we  could 
not  think  of  seeking  our  own  safety  and  leaving  our  Cana- 
dians in  peril.  We  asked  the  Lord  to  show  us  our  path. 
I  was  so  sure  that  He  had  placed  me  here  that  I  would  not 


76  MADAME   FELLER. 

stir  a  step  without  His  command  or  His  permission;  and 
He  did  not  leave  me  long  in  uncertainty.  On  Saturday, 
October  28,  a  kind  English  friend,  Mr.  Richard  McGinnis, 
came  on  horseback  to  warn  us  of  the  danger  in  which  we 
were  placed.  Next  day,  Sunday,  we  held  three  meetings 
as  usual.  Our  Canadians  were  in  great  distress.  They 
saw  clearly  that  it  was  our  duty  to  leave,  but  they 
trembled  at  the  thought  of  being  left  at  such  a  time.  That 
night  was  terrible.  The  rebels  were  increasing  in  number, 
became  more  violent,  and  gave  themselves  up  to  every 
kind  of  outrage.  The  days  were  bearable,  but  every  night 
brought  fresh  horror. 

On  Monday  morning  brother  Roussy  set  off  for  Cham- 
plain,  to  ascertain  whether  accommodations  could  be  ob- 
tained there,  should  God  show  us  that  it  was  our  duty  to 
leave.  He  had  not  been  gone  an  hour  when  I  learned  that 
the  patriots  were  determined  to  kill  him ;  they  spoke  of  it 
quite  openly  and  expressed  themselves  in  the  most  violent 
manner.  I  passed  a  sad  day.  It  appeared  very  evident 
that  it  was  our  duty  to  go  away;  but  to  give  up  my  Cana- 
dians was  to  give  up  my  life.  I  was  warned  that  the  pat- 
riots were  preparing  to  come  to  my  house  that  night,  and 
that  their  intentions  were  of  the  worst  kind.  How  I 
blessed  God  that  brother  Roussy  was  absent !  I  spent  the 
evening  in  reading  and  prayer,  with  some  of  my  dear 
Canadians,  encouraging  myself  in  God  and  expecting  that 
He  would  guide  me,  for  I  knew  not  what  I  ought  to  do. 
Oh,  how  true  it  is  that  we  must  look  to  Jesus  if  we  would  not 
lose  courage !  I  had  full  experience  of  it  that  night,  for 
when  the  mob  came  to  the  house  I  felt  no  fear.  Brave 
brother  Leveque  went  out  of  his  house  to  ask  them  what 
they  wanted.  They  told  him,  and  in  an  imperious  man- 
ner, that  he  must  immediately  discontinue  the  scandal  of 
the  new  religion  which  he  had  permitted  in  his  house, 
adding  that  they  would  compel  us  to  quit  the  country. 


A   MEMORIAL.  77 

Mr.  I,eveque  asked  them  who  gave  them  the  power  to 
act  in  that  way.  They  replied  that  they  assumed  the 
power,  and  that  they  would  show  us  that  they  were  mas- 
ters. I  was  obliged  to  go  and  speak  to  them  at  the  door, 
and  was  able  to  do  it  calmly.  They  commanded  brother 
Roussy  and  me  to  go  away,  and  said  that  if  we  did  not  go 
quickly,  they  would  return  and  force  us ;  that  we  had  come 
to  trouble  the  country  with  a  new  religion,  and  that  they 
would  not  suffer  any  persons  to  live  in  that  place  who  did 
not  profess  their  own  excellent  religion,  and  were  not  good 
patriots  like  themselves.  They  uttered  many  blasphem- 
ies and  threats  and  left  me,  to  carry  on  their  outrages  at 
the  houses  of  the  members  of  our  little  church.  They 
introduced  themselves  by  the  charivari  and  throwing 
stones  at  the  windows.  They  ordered  all  who  had  re- 
nounced popery  to  abandon  their  new  religion,  and  re- 
turn to  the  mass,  and  told  them  that  if  they  would  not  do 
it  they  must  quit  the  country,  or  expect  to  be  burned  out. 
See  how  clearly  the  path  was  marked  for  us ;  for  all  deter- 
mined rather  to  give  up  everything  than  to  go  back. 
Then  we  prepared  for  our  departure,  trusting  that  the 
merciful  God  would  find  a  refuge  for  His  poor,  persecuted 
church. 

Brother  Roussy  returned  on  Tuesday  afternoon.  He 
was  fired  at  from  a  house  on  the  road,  but  the  Lord  pre- 
served him  from  injury.  He  told  us  that  there  was  hope 
of  obtaining  shelter  for  us  all  at  Champlain.  On  Wednes- 
day, November  i,  we  quitted  Canada.  Our  company  con- 
sisted of  upwards  of  fifty  persons,  and  we  left  behind  thir- 
teen who  had  not  been  able  to  complete  their  arrangements, 
but  would  follow  us  soon.  You  would  have  been  greatly 
distressed  if  you  had  seen  the  tokens  of  their  poverty. 
There  were  ten  children  and  two  mothers  in  one  wagon. 
The  poor  children  were  insufficiently  clothed  and  suffered 
from  cold.  I  could  scarcely  refrain  from  weeping  when  I 


jB  MADAME   FELLER. 

saw  them,  and  yet  I  rejoiced  for  them,  because,  young  as 
they  were,  they  were  suffering  for  the  name  of  Jesus. 

When  we  arrived  at  Champlain,  brother  Roussy  and  I 
were  received  into  a  Christian  family,  whose  cordial  hos- 
pitality we  enjoyed  for  eight  days.  We  had  much  difficulty 
in  obtaining  lodgings,  but  at  length  succeeded.  We  were 
accommodated  in  the  village,  and  the  Canadians  in  the 
neighborhood.  In  the  midst  of  our  affliction  we  blessed 
God  that  He  had  brought  us  hither  and  placed  us  out  of 
reach  of  the  war.  We  could  not  fail  to  discern  His  hand 
in  the  whole  affair.  .  .  .  As  we  had  reason  to  believe 
that  whatever  we  might  have  at  the  Grande  L,igne  would 
be  plundered  or  burned,  we  took  away  with  us  all  our 
effects,  and  employed  carters  for  that  purpose,  who  took 
advantage  of  our  circumstances  and  were  very  extortionate 
in  their  charge.  But  our  Canadians  could  only  bring  away 
their  scanty  furniture,  being  obliged  to  leave  all  their  crops. 
They  had  never  been  so  well  off.  We  had  helped  them  as 
much  as  we  could.  An  English  brother  had  advanced 
money  to  enable  them  to  buy  good  seed  ;  God  had  blessed 
them  with  an  abundant  harvest,  and  the  proceeds  of  the 
sale  of  their  produce  would  suffice  to  pay  the  loans  and 
supply  the  means  of  subsistence.  Now  they  were  under 
the  necessity  of  leaving  all,  with  little  hope  of  recovery. 

This  experience,  so  graphically  told,  carries  with  it 
such  evidence  against  Romanism  as  usually  appears 
when  it  comes  into  conflict  with  Protestantism.  Its 
tyranny,  self-assertion,  and  cruelty  are  its  prominent 
characteristics.  Romanists  are  "  masters."  rising  at 
their  own  call,  when  they  consider  themselves  able  to 
be.  Their  own  "excellent  religion"  is  displayed  in 
their  "blasphemies  and  threats."  The  private  right 
to  know  the  word  and  will  of  God,  with  freedom  to 


A   MEMORIAL.  79 

worship  Him,  is  a  thing  they  do  not  recognize.  But 
the  right  to  persecute,  even  unto  death,  any  who  are 
not  of  their  way,  is  one  of  their  cherished  prerogatives. 
They  would  have  kept  the  Canadas  in  the  night  of  the 
dark  ages  had  not  some  godly  souls,  having  more  real 
courage  than  they  possessed,  successfully  contended 
for  the  freedom  wherewith  Christ  makes  free. 

This  rough  experience  also  proves  the  calling  of 
the  missionaries,  who  came  into  line  with  those  who 
through  faith  and  patience  have  endured  a  great  fight 
of  afflictions.  God  was  with  them,  saving  them  from 
martyrdom,  after  they  had  proved  faithful  up  to  "  the 
death."  And  their  faithful  watching  for  souls,  even 
while  in  exile,  was  rewarded  with  stars  for  their 
crowns.  Such  an  episode  as  this  would  fitly  adorn  the 
mission  annals  of  any  land  or  period. 


8o  MADAME  FELLER. 


VII. 


FIRST  SUB- 

STANTIAL EDIFICE;  "HIGH  DAY" 
AT  DEDICATION;  NOTABLE  CONVER- 
SIONS; REV.  LEON  NORMANDEAU,  DR. 
C.  H.  O.  COTE;  MADAME  FELLER  AS 
A  FIELD  WOMAN;  TOURS  IN  THE 
UNITED  STATES;  SIGNAL  ENCOUR- 
AGEMENTS. 


the  year  1838,  the  third  in  their  Canadian 
-*-  experience,  was  an  eventful  one  with  the  mis- 
sionaries ;  creditable  indeed  to  them,  but  highly  dis- 
graceful to  those  who  caused  their  sufferings.  Not 
only  did  they  endure  reproach  and  losses  for  the 
name  of  Christ,  but  meantime  they  urged  forward 
their  work,  blessing  those  that  persecuted  and  de- 
spitefully  used  them.  Only  two  months  passed  ere 
the  rage  of  the  enemy  had  subsided  sufficiently  to 
admit  of  their  return  from  New  York;  except  M. 
Bobin,  who  for  want  of  a  shelter  for  his  family,  to 
which  he  might  come,  was  compelled  to  pass  the 
winter  in  Champlain,  and  work  at  his  trade.  Friends 
in  Switzerland  had  sympathized  with  them  in  their 
distresses  and  contributed  to  their  relief  4,000  francs 
-  $8.10. 


A   MEMORIAL.  8 1 

The  work  went  on  encouragingly.  Inquirers  and 
openings  for  schools  presented  themselves.  More 
missionary  help  was  urgently  required.  Madame  Fel- 
ler thought  that  the  way  of  Providence  would  be  very 
dark  if  it  were  not  furnished.  "  Here  are  children 
ready  for  school,"  said  she,  "  and  houses  open  for  the 
word  of  God.  My  God !  My  God  !  Dost  thou  not 
see  it?  "  Her  labors  and  that  of  others  were  exhaust- 
ing, and  she  suffered  much  from  sickness.  Visiting 
New  York  in  the  summer,  in  behalf  of  the  Mission, 
she  was  confined  to  her  room  for  several  weeks  by 
lameness  in  one  of  her  feet,  and  had  to  undergo  a 
slight  surgical  operation.  Neuralgic  pains  afflicted 
her,  while  the  anxieties  and  perplexing  cares  of  her 
position  were  well-nigh  overwhelming.  Still  she  was 
reluctant  to  transfer  the  management  to  any  society. 

"In  this  year"  (1838),  says  Rev.  Theodore  La- 
fleur,  of  Montreal,  "  several  friends  of  the  mission  re- 
solved to  seek  the  necessary  funds  to  build  a  perma- 
nent edifice,  suitable  to  accommodate  a  good  number 
of  pupils,  especially  of  those  who  wished  to  prepare 
themselves  for  missionary  work,  and  also  for  a  place 
of  worship.  The  foundations  were  laid  in  the  autumn, 
with  more  faith  than  money.  M.  Roussy,  who  un- 
derstood house-building  pretty  well,  superintended 
the  work,  and  in  the  summer  of  1840  the  house  was 
dedicated  to  the  service  of  God,  with  tears  of  grati- 
tude on  the  part  of  the  missionaries  at  least.  With 
the  opening  of  this  house  a  new  era  was  also  opened 
for  this  missionary  enterprise.  A  great  number  of  the 
friends  of  the  Mission  came  to  join  the  missionaries 
in  their  rejoicings — from  St.  Johns,  Montreal,  Albany, 


82  MADAME   FELLER. 

Boston,  New  York  and  elsewhere.  .  .  .  The  day 
of  the  opening  has  remained  very  vivid  in  the  minds 
of  several  converts,  then  new,  who  are  still  living.  On 
that  occasion  the  hearts  of  Madame  Feller  and  Mr. 
Roussy  were  drowned  in  joy  and  gratitude  at  the 
sight  of  the  cheering  results  already  attained,  and 
which  to  their  minds  were  a  presage  of  greater  ones 
in  the  future,  now  all  glowing  in  their  glorious 
hopes." 

This  "  Mission  House  "  was  a  plain  but  very  sub- 
stantial stone  edifice,  of  two  and  a  half  stories  and  an 
attic.  Its  massive  and  durable  appearance  contrasted 
strongly  with  the  low,  whitewashed  homesteads  of  the 
Canadians.  The  first  story  was  divided ;  one  half,  a 
chapel  and  schoolroom,  and  the  other  a  dining-room 
and  its  necessary  appendages.  The  space  above  was 
occupied  for  general  uses  of  family  and  pupils.  Its 
cost,  including  the  farm  on  which  it  stood,  was  over 
ten  thousand  dollars.  Economy  was  used  to  the  ut- 
most. A  large  portion  of  the  timber  used  in  the  con- 
struction was  obtained  on  the  place.  And  though 
not  elegant  in  the  highest  degree,  it  so  appeared  to 
those  who  had  prayed  and  labored  for  it,  while  the 
inhabitants  at  large,  who  had  given  them  a  short  time 
to  stay  in  the  country  or  to  adhere  to  their  faith,  now 
were  dumb  before  this  guarantee  of  their  perseverance 
and  permanence.  By  faith  these  descendants  of  Noah 
built  this  ark,  and  had  the  workmen  known  how  slen- 
der were  the  resources  of  the  Mission  they  might  have 
doubted  its  ability  to  pay  their  weekly  wages.  The 
rule  of  faith,  which  would  not  guide  a  stone-mason, 
served  the  missionaries  well. 


A   MEMORIAL.  83 

The  day  of  dedication,  August  9,  1840,  was  a 
"high  day"  at  Grande  Ligne.  Besides  other  eminent 
persons,  a  notable  minister,  then  of  Albany,  Rev. 
Edward  N.  Kirk,  D.  D.,  was  present  and  preached. 
This  silver-tongued  orator  was  able  to  speak  in  the 
French  language,  as  he  did  on  this  occasion,  both 
morning  and  afternoon ;  another,  Rev.  J.  W.  Chicker- 
ing,  of  Portland,  preaching  a  sermon  in  English  same 
day  at  one  o'clock.  Thus  the  day  was  filled  with  wor- 
ship. To  prevent  dispersion,  a  cold  repast  was  served 
to  the  body  of  the  audience  seated  in  the  chapel. 
Neighboring  families,  deterred  from  participating  by 
prejudice  or  fear  of  the  priests,  watched  the  novel  pro- 
ceedings. Knowledge  of  this  good  cause  extended  and 
its  influence  widened  by  means  of  this  great  occasion, 
while  the  edifice,  a  monument  of  charity  before  the 
eyes  astounded  the  cringing,  penance-doing  devotees 
of  Rome.  Their  hearts  softened  as  they  looked  upon  it, 
and  while  only  about  thirty  had  been  enrolled  as  con- 
verts, three  times  that  number  listened  to  the  distin- 
guished visitors  ere  they  returned.  Many  interested 
Canadians,  abashed  by  contrast  of  themselves  to  the 
worshipers,  did  not  attend  the  Sunday  services,  but 
on  Monday  evening  "  more  than  a  hundred  listened  to 
Mr.  Kirk's  preaching  with  great  attention  and  lively 
interest.  Some  of  them  remained  after  the  service  for 
conversation  with  the  preacher."  He  had  shown  a 
deep  interest  in  the  Mission.  "  In  order  to  find  the 
necessary  funds  both  to  sustain  the  missionaries  and 
to  construct  the  building,  he  accompanied  Madame 
Feller  in  several  cities  of  the  United  States,  pleading 
the  cause  of  this  Mission,  and  helping  the"  missionary 


84  MADAME   FELLER. 

to  form  associations  of  ladies  that  would  continue  to 
aid  her  in  this  work  where  she  had  put  her  whole 
soul." 

Thus  the  Mission  was  set  forward  most  auspi- 
ciously. Five  years  previously  Madame  Feller,  when 
about  to  leave  her  country  and  kindred,  prayed,  "  Wilt 
Thou  grant  me  before  I  die  that  I  may  see  an  assem- 
bly of  Canadians  loving  Thy  word?"  And  now  she 
could  write  of  the  overflowing  joy  of  her  heart,  and 
wish  that  the  friends  in  Switzerland  could  but  see  the 
fruit  of  their  gifts  and  many  prayers ;  for  in  her  view 
much  success  had  already  been  achieved.  And  it  was 
not  a  small  pleasure  that  she  could  speak  of  the  way 
she  managed  to  provide  for  so  many  people.  "  Our 
cow,"  she  said,  "  had  given  us  a  calf,  which  was  fat- 
tened for  the  occasion.  It  was  '  tender  and  good,'  like 
that  which  our  father  Abraham  prepared  for  his 
heavenly  guests." 

The  new  building  added  greatly  to  the  position  and 
leverage  of  the  Mission,  and  its  influence  was  felt  by 
prominent  Romanists  far  and  near.  They  could  but 
observe  the  invasion  of  Protestantism  upon  their  an- 
cient domain  and  its  disturbance  of  their  hoary  relig- 
ion. The  priests  were  compelled  to  think,  if  not  to 
fear.  Some,  without  observing  this  progress,  were  led 
to  question  the  assumed  rights  of  the  priests,  or  were 
influenced  immediately  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  An  inter- 
esting example  was  that  of  Rev.  Leon  Normandeau, 
2  priest  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church,  who  had 
served  in  the  diocese  of  Quebec  for  about  five  years ; 
adding  to  his  priesthood  a  tutorship  in  the  Seminary 
of  the  city  of  Quebec.  Arbitrary  exercise  of  author- 


MRS.  XORMANDEAU. 


REV.  LEON  NORMANDEAU. 


A   MEMORIAL.  85 

ity  by  the  bishop  created  discontents,  leading  to  es- 
trangement of  feeling,  and  finall}'  to  his  separation 
from  him  with  loss  of  position  and  support.  He  then 
spent  some  time  in  the  United  States  studying  Prot- 
estantism, and  on  his  return  to  Canada  was  impressed 
by  the  manifest  inferiority  of  his  countrymen  to  the 
people  he  had  visited.  He  resolved  to  give  up  the 
priesthood,  and  again  went  to  the  United  States  to  get 
employment  as  tutor  in  I/atin  and  French.  L,onely 
and  dejected  he  came  back  again  to  Canada;  and  at 
length  taking  up  a  copy  of  the  New  Testament  his 
heart  was  touched,  and  for  the  first  time  in  his  life  he 
sought  God  in  prayer  without  a  form.  Seeing  the  dif- 
ference between  Romanism  and  the  Bible  he  was  on  the 
point  of  going  to  the  United  States  a  third  time  to  ex- 
amine all  the  religious  systems  and  choose  that  which 
seemed  to  be  the  best,  when  he  heard  of  the  Grande 
Ligne  Mission. 

L/eaving  L/Acadie,  where  he  had  temporarily  re- 
sided, he  set  out  for  Grand  L,igne,  but  retraced  his 
steps  through  fear  of  the  consequence  of  visiting  a 
Protestant  institution.  His  mental  distress  continued 
and  increased,  and  a  week  later  he  ventured  to  the 
Mission  House  and  introduced  himself  to  Madame 
Feller.  "  Mr.  Roussy,  who  was  absent  on  mission 
work,  was  sent  for  immediately,  and  the  week  was 
spent  in  earnest  inquiry  and  prayer.  At  first  M.  Nor- 
mandeau  was  much  distressed,  as  well  by  the  oppres- 
siveness of  doubt  as  by  the  difficulties  of  his  position, 
and  the  fear  of  the  persecution  which  he  would  be 
likely  to  endure  if  he  left  the  Romish  church.  But 
light  gradually  shone  upon  him,  and  on  the  Satur- 


86  MADAME    FELLER. 

day  of  that  week  he  was  enabled  to  give  himself  to 
the  Lord  and  to  risk  all  danger.  The  next  day — the 
Lord's  day — he  attended  worship  in  the  Mission  House, 
and  in  the  evening  was  introduced  to  the  church  as 
'  a  priest  who  had  become  a  friend  of  the  people  and 
a  disciple  of  the  Lord  Jesus.'  The  joy  and  thanks- 
giving which  this  announcement  occasioned  may  be 
imagined.  The  Canadian  believers  wondered,  admired, 
and  adored  the  grace  of  God." 

This  new  colleague  grew  in  evangelical  knowledge 
and  grace,  greatly  rejoicing  the  missionaries,  who 
recognized  in  him  the  qualifications  needed  for  the 
work  in  which  they  were  engaged.  They  had  been 
looking  to  Switzerland  for  the  help  which  they  were 
asking  the  Lord  to  send,  when,  lo !  it  was  at  hand. 
"The  Romish  camp  was  in  consternation — a  priest 
had  apostatized  !  "  The  cure  of  L'Acadie,  with  whom 
he  had  stayed  recently,  "  entreated  him  not  to  expose 
himself  to  the  anathemas  which  in  former  ages  had 
been  launched  against  Arius,  Luther,  Calvin,  and 
other  heretics,  but  to  return  to  the  church."  The 
reply  expressed  thankfulness  for  the  enlightenment 
God  had  bestowed,  and  invited  the  cur6  to  unite  with 
him  in  the  search  for  truth.  Then  came  a  storm  of 
reviling,  but  neither  admonition  nor  threats  availed  to 
turn  him  aside  from  the  new  and  better  way,  and  he 
soon  became  an  active  and  efficient  helper  in  the 
school  and  in  the  church.  Madame  Feller  wrote  to 
the  New  York  Observer  a  full  letter  as  to  the  circum- 
stances of  the  case  and  the  character  of  the  man,  giv- 
ing emphasis  to  her  statement  of  his  qualifications  as 
a  teacher  and  guide  of  youth.  He  was  able  to  in- 


A   MEMORIAL.  87 

struct  in  advanced  studies,  for  which  work  no  provi- 
sion had  been  made,  thus  setting  forward  the  grade 
of  the  school.  He  also  obtained  some  knowledge  of 
the  English  language,  united  with  Mr.  Roussy  in  Bib- 
lical study,  and  soon  became  a  preacher  of  much  abil- 
ity. Likewise,  he  was  an  able  writer.  He  answered 
Bishop  Laroque's  violent  attack  on  the  French  Prot- 
estants in  a  masterly  way. 

Another  important  acquisition  to  the  Mission  oc- 
curred not  many  months  after  the  above — in  1841  ;  a 
remarkable  year  in  its  history.  As  the  Lord  had  given 
a  teacher  in  M.  Normandeau,  he  also  would  add  a  mis- 
sionary ;  both  from  the  ranks  of  the  enemy.  A  man 
of  note  in  political  life  was  converted ;  it  was  C.  H.  O. 
Cote,  who  was  born  in  Quebec,  in  1809,  educated  as  a 
physician,  and  became  a  distinguished  member  of  the 
House  of  Assembly.  He  became  also  a  leader  among 
the  "  Patriots" — a  name  assumed  by  the  opponents  of 
the  British  Government,  in  the  Rebellion  of  1837-38. 
After  the  defeat  of  the  Patriots  at  Odelltown  and  other 
more  important  places,  in  the  autumn  of  1838,  a 
price  was  set  on  his  head  and  he  was  obliged  to  flee 
into  exile.  Seeking  a  home  in  "  the  land  of  the  free," 
he  settled  at  Swanton,  Vermont,  and  there  entered 
upon  the  practice  of  medicine.  It  was  there,  too,  that 
for  the  first  time  in  his  life  he  heard  the  Gospel  from 
the  lips  of  an  evangelical  preacher.  He  had  been 
nominally  a  Roman  Catholic,  then,  having  revolted, 
was  secretly  an  infidel.  Doubts  as  to  his  condition 
began  to  distress  him,  but  upon  hearing  a  sermon  on 
the  words  "  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  thou 
shalt  be  saved,"  a  glimpse  of  the  real  way  of  salvation 


88  MADAME   FELLER. 

was  obtained.  Mr.  Roussy,  hearing  of  the  case  through 
a  French  Canadian  convert,  and  being  invited,  visited 
him ;  and,  after  noting  his  exercises  and  struggles  of 
mind,  was  enabled  to  minister  to  him  in  spiritual 
things  and  secure  his  saving  trust  in  the  Redeemer. 
The  missionaries  rejoiced  greatly  over  this  trophy ; 
"  the  political  chief,  the  man  skilled  in  parliamentary 
debates,  accustomed  to  platform  and  stump  speaking, 
ready  to  speak  before  noisy  and  tumultuous  assem- 
blies." As  he  was  eager  to  preach  the  Gospel,  the 
brethren  entertained  high  hopes  of  the  influence  of 
his  powerful  personality  in  the  Kingdom  of  our  Lord. 
That  their  hopes  were  well  founded,  it  was  evident  at 
once.  For  shortly  after  his  conversion  he  collected  in 
the  church  at  Swanton  his  former  companions  in  in- 
fidelity, and  in  their  presence  solemnly  abjured  deism, 
and  freely  rendered  testimony  to  Christ  and  Him  cru- 
cified as  his  Savior  and  his  God,  asking  their  for- 
giveness for  his  bad  example."  He  brought  to  the 
faith  he  once  destroyed,  ardor,  zeal,  and  incessant  ac- 
tivity, interrupted  at  times  by  sickness.  Long  before 
he  could  return  to  Canada  with  safety  he  had  estab- 
lished preaching  at  Chazy,  New  York,  where  he  fixed 
his  residence,  and  from  which  place  he  occasionally 
made  perilous  incursions  to  Canada,  "  for  the  word  of 
God  and  the  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ."  Tokens  of 
divine  favor  cheered  him,  particularly  the  conversion 
of  Madame  Cote,  who  became  a  helper  in  the  Gospel. 
In  time  an  Act  of  Amnesty  was  proclaimed  and  he 
returned  and  became  associated  with  the  missionaries 
at  Grande  Ligne  in  general  labors  through  the  Prov- 
ince. 


C.  H.  O.  COTE. 


A   MEMORIAL.  89 

The  experiences  of  Madame  Feller,  in  the  close 
relation  that  she  sustained  to  all  the  interests  at 
Grande  Ligne,  were  various,  and  they  will  not  fail  to 
interest  the  readers  of  this  narrative.  As  founder  and 
principal  promoter  of  the  Mission  she  felt  it  a  duty 
and  a  privilege  to  watch  over  it  and  cultivate  a  sym- 
pathetic regard  for  its  successes  and  difficulties.  The 
development  of  her  spiritual  nature  was  promoted 
thereby ;  and,  like  many  in  other  lines  of  consecrated 
effort,  she  was  elevated  through  toil  and  suffering.  It 
will  be  seen  how  she  became  a  woman  whom  the 
Christian  world  love  to  remember. 

Although  her  qualities  were  domestic,  in  the  broad- 
est and  best  sense  of  the  word,  yet  she  became  a  field 
woman  and  marshal.  The  exigencies  of  the  Mission 
made  her  such.  The  trait  of  love  for  home  and  school 
and  church  was  the  one  fitness  for  laboring  that  others 
might  enjoy  these  blessings ;  and  no  sacrifice  was  too 
great,  in  her  opinion,  if  needed,  in  order  to  bring  others 
into  possession  of  them.  Therefore,  while  active  in 
teaching  and  superintending  at  Grande  Ligne,  she  felt 
that  duty,  likewise,  led  her  abroad;  in  two  lines  of 
endeavor  especially,  viz.,  the  procurement  of  means, 
and  the  extension  of  missionary  work. 

As  to  the  first,  both  she  and  Mr.  Roussy  had  so 
impressed  their  sincerity  and  their  object  upon  some 
in  New  York,  as  they  passed  through  it  on  their  way 
to  Canada,  that  substantial  aid  from  that  city  followed 
them.  Dr.  Buck  and  family  are  mentioned  as  remem- 
bering the  Mission  with  help  from  year  to  year.  But 
Rev.  Dr.  Kirk,  of  Albany,  seems  to  have  been  preemi- 
nent in  cooperation  from  an  early  date.  As  secretary 


9O  MADAME   FELLER. 

of  the  Foreign  Evangelical  Society,  the  object  appealed 
to  his  heart  with  peculiar  force,  and  drew  largely  upon 
his  time  and  strength.  When  it  seemed  necessary  for 
Madame  Feller  to  travel  and  solicit  help  in  the  United 
States,  she  had  recourse  to  him  for  counsel  and  other 
assistance.  "  For  several  years  he  accompanied  her 
from  place  to  place,  arranged  the  ladies'  meetings,  at- 
tended many  of  them,  applied  personally  on  behalf  of 
the  Mission  to  wealthy  Christian  friends  and  obtained 
a  large  portion  of  the  funds  which  were  contributed  in 
the  United  States."  His  kindness,  enthusiasm  and 
eloquence  inspired  large  numbers  with  interest  in  this 
cause.  Yet  Madame  Feller  was  not  lacking  in  the 
essentials  of  a  good  solicitor.  "  Her  appeals  for  help 
were  well-nigh  irresistible.  Her  imperfect  acquaint- 
ance with  English  made  it  necessary  for  her  to  speak 
through  the  medium  of  an  interpreter,  and  this  in- 
creased the  difficulty  which  she  felt  at  such  times,  al- 
though no  one  else  perceived  it,  for  she  seemed  to  be 
the  very  embodiment  of  calmness,  ease  and  self-posses- 
sion." L,adies'  Associations  were  formed  at  Boston, 
Providence,  New  York,  Philadelphia,  and  many  other 
places. 

In  the  enlargement  of  missionary  operations  in 
Canada  she  had  a  personal  part.  The  stakes  had  been 
strengthened,  and  it  was  duty  to  lengthen  the  cords. 
In  six  years  the  commodious  stone  Mission  House  had 
been  erected.  The  place  was  garrisoned  by  the  school, 
teachers  and  pupils  (all  of  the  latter  preparing  for  some 
department  of  the  Lord's  service),  and  by  Rev.  Messrs. 
Normandeau,  Wolff  and  Roussy.  Was  it  not  fit  that 
field  work  be  organized  ?  Already,  in  fact,  a  number 


A   MEMORIAL.  91 

of  posts  had  been  qccupied.  West,  ten  or  fifteen  miles, 
Napierville  had  received  the  Gospel  through  the  mis- 
sionaries and  a  number  of  converts  gladdened  their 
hearts.  In  Sherrington,  near  to  the  above,  the  truth 
had  gained  a  foothold  and  a  school  been  established. 
South,  near  to  the  State  of  New  York,  was  a  new  sta- 
tion, called  Henryville ;  while,  as  stated,  the  good  seed 
had  been  planted  at  Chazy,  on  Lake  Champlain,  and 
was  being  watered  by  stated  ministrations.  Bast,  forty- 
five  miles,  opposite  the  northern  end  of  Vermont,  was 
St.  Pie,  occupied  by  Dr.  Cote,  having  a  church  of  nearly 
sixty  members,  a  large  school  and  a  congregation  of 
more  than  one  hundred.  A  New  Testament,  given  by 
Mr.  Roussy  to  a  man  from  this  parish,  when  on  a  visit 
in  the  neighborhood  of  Grande  L,igne,  was  the  means 
of  enlightening  him  and  opening  that  place  to  the 
preaching  of  the  Gospel.  Beset  with  doubts  as  to  Ro- 
manism, after  returning  to  his  home  and  perusing  the 
book,  he  resolved  to  seek  light  from  the  missionaries. 
Accordingly  he  went  to  Grand  Ligne  and  spent  three 
weeks  there  in  diligent  inquiry,  and  then  gave  himself 
to  the  L/ord  and  His  people.  Fifteen  miles  further 
east  was  Berea ;  and  seven  still  beyond,  the  new  sta- 
tion of  Corinth.  Besides  these  seven  places,  where  the 
Gospel  was  regularly  preached,  there  were  isolated 
families  at  various  and  widely  separated  points,  who 
had  received  the  truth  by  having  visited  the  stations, 
or  through  the  visits  of  colporters  and  missionaries; 
and  thus  was  opened  the  way  for  further  invasion  of 
the  enemy's  territory. 

Enterprise  involves  expense.     Enlargement  of  the 
work  calls  for  increase  of  means.     And  then  follows  a 


92  MADAME   FELLER. 

question  of  "  ways  " — ways  of  procuring  the  means — 
and  this  dogs  the  steps  of  all  benevolent  organizations. 
Money  can  not  be  had  by  assessment,  but  only  by  vol- 
untary contributions ;  and  to  enlist  the  will  of  people 
in  behalf  of  a  cause  is  the  severest  tax  its  friends  expe- 
rience in  its  promotion.  Such  a  tax  came  upon  Grande 
Ivigne  Mission,  and  it  increased  year  by  year,  with  the 
widening  of  the  work. 

Friends  advised  that  the  Mission  be  placed  under 
care  of  one  of  the  religious  societies  ;  advice  that  would 
be  good  under  almost  any  circumstances.  But  its 
founder  and  associates  stood  for  independent  manage- 
ment, so  long  as  this  seemed  at  all  practicable ;  then,  in 
the  tenth  year  of  its  existence,  they  yielded  to  circum- 
stances and  committed  it  to  the  Canada  Baptist  Mis- 
sionary Society.  Madame  Feller  and  Mr.  Roussy  had 
not  yet  identified  themselves  with  the  Baptist  denomi- 
nation, yet  all  the  converts  had  been  immersed  and  in 
other  particulars  they  were  conforming  to  the  prin- 
ciples and  practices  that  distinguish  it  from  other  re- 
ligious bodies.  In  their  own  baptism  (aspersion),  in 
Switzerland,  they  made  a  strong  protest  against  any 
other  than  believers'  baptism,  and  suffered  for  so  doing. 
And  in  thus  taking  a  bold,  advanced  step,  they  seemed 
to  themselves  to  have  "fulfilled  all  righteousness"  in 
respect  to  this  ordinance ;  and  being  without  human 
counsel,  years  passed  ere  there  minds  were  dis- 
turbed again  on  the  subject.  They  were  immersed  by 
Dr.  Cote,  in  1847,  in  the  baptistery  of  the  old  building 
at  Grande  lyigne,  erected  in  1840.  There  are  persons 
still  living  who  witnessed  the  ceremony,  one  of  whom 
aided  at  the  baptistery. 


A    MEMORIAL.  93 

The  Foreign  Evangelical  Society,  with  which  were 
officially  connected  two  of  the  .stanchest  supporters 
of  the  mission,  Drs.  Baird  and  Kirk,  naturally  felt  that 
a  most  interesting  beneficiary  had  slipped  away,  and 
its  interest  in  it  accordingly  declined.  The  change 
seemed  to  be  rather  serious  in  its  consequences  at  the 
first ;  much  more  so  than  Madame  Feller  and  her  as- 
sociates anticipated.  They  had  not  yet  received  the 
full  or  proper  idea  of  denominationalism.  In  the  opin- 
ion of  such  charitable  souls  it  was  good  to  do  good 
under  all  conditions,  and  the  thought  of  withdrawal 
from  any  benevolent  enterprise,  honestly  conducted, 
was  not  likely  to  occur  to  them.  But  such  a  course 
was  taken ;  it  being  conceded  that  the  denomination 
which  adopted  should  likewise  cherish.  Accordingly, 
when  the  Madame  again  visited  the  United  States  (in 
1845)  she  found  many  of  her  former  friends  standing 
aloof.  This  was  a  source  of  much  pain  and  great  so- 
licitude as  to  the  future.  The  excellent  Dr.  Cote  was 
with  her — two  powerful  champions  of  any  cause  upon 
which  they  might  fix  their  minds.  They  were  disap- 
pointed in  their  friends.  Many  members  of  the 
Ladies'  Associations  withdrew;  ties  that  were  sup- 
posed to  be  strong  were  broken.  How  deeply  this 
circumstance  pained  the  tender,  loyal  heart  of  our 
heroine  her  own  correspondence  reveals.  She  was 
delighted  with  much  that  she  saw;  had  feasted  her 
"  Swiss  eyes  "  on  the  mountainous  regions  of  Vermont, 
yet  there  was  a  cause  of  heaviness  in  her  heart.  Writ- 
ing to  the  Mission  from  Boston,  she  said : 


94  MADAME   FELLER. 

I  need  not  tell  you  that  I  have  suffered,  greatly  suffered ; 
you  know  the  cause.  For  two  days  I  was  unable  to  write 
to  you,  nor  could  I  have  wished  to  do  so ;  and  even  if  I 
had  had  time,  my  heart  was  so  sick  that  I  should  have 
written  in  the  darkest  style.  By  the  grace  of  God  my 
faith  has  not  been  weakened  in  our  gloomiest  days,  but  on 
the  contrary  has  become  brighter  and  stronger.  Separated 
as  we  are  from  our  former  surroundings  and  connections, 
it  has  experienced  a  firmer  hold  on  the  promises  of  Him 
in  whom  we  find  no  variableness,  neither  shadow  of  turn- 
ing. I  may  say  that  in  the  midst  of  all  our  jarrings  here 
I  am  more  and  more  confirmed  in  the  conviction  we  have 
entered  on  the  right  path. 

Writing  from  Philadelphia,  she  speaks  more  hope- 
fully :  "  We  returned  from  Philadelphia  yesterday 
loaded  with  benefits.  Last  Tuesday  evening  we  had 
a  good  meeting — an  extremely  good  meeting.  The 
Mission  was  never  in  such  good  repute  in  this  dear 
city  as  it  is  now.  The  Ladies'  Association  is  stronger 
than  ever,  because  the  love  and  energies  of  the  Bap- 
tists are  united  to  the  love  and  energies  of  our  old 
friends." 

The  flurry  caused  by  the  change  of  patronage  from 
the  several  denominations  to  the  Baptist  in  particular 
(but  not  exclusively)  soon  subsided  in  a  great  degree. 
Madame  Feller's  sensitive  soul  cast  upon  the  Lord  the 
burden  of  anxiety  it  caused  her  and  was  blessed.  She 
obtained  new  understanding  and  experience  of  unity 
among  Christians,  especially  in  charitable  endeavors. 
The  collections  during  the  recent  tour,  from  ladies' 
societies  and  private  friends,  amounted  to  $1305.  And 
this  visitation  to  the  Un>ited  States  was  followed  by 
another  the  next  year  (1846),  in  which  she  was  accom- 


A   MEMORIAL.  95 

panied  by  Rev.  Dr.  R.  A.  Fyfe,  president  of  the  Cana- 
dian L,iterary  Institute,  Woodstock,  who  occupied  pul- 
pits and  pleaded  the  cause  of  the  Mission.  Her  heart 
was  much  strengthened  for  the  duty  of  soliciting  by 
being  able  to  tell  of  the  tokens  of  blessing  that  ap- 
peared throughout  the  missionary  field,  in  the  conver- 
sion of  the  Romanists. 

In  1847  another  journey  was  made  to  the  States; 
Dr.  Cote  being  again  her  companion  and  helper.  The 
tour  was  more  protracted  than  previous  ones,  extend- 
ing through  the  larger  part  of  New  England,  and 
southward  as  far  as  Wilmington,  Delaware.  In  the 
next  year,  1848,  funds  being  low,  Dr.  Cote  went  to 
Philadelphia,  and,  after  collecting  there,  was  joined  by 
her  in  New  York ;  and  they  proceeded  to  Utica,  Buf- 
falo, and  Niagara,  returning  by  way  of  Boston,  and 
being  absent  two  months.  The  collections  of  this 
year  covered  all  the  demands  of  the  Mission.  "  Can 
you  realize,"  she  writes,  "  the  blessing  of  being  out  of 
debt  ?  What  a  favor !  What  a  deliverance  !  " 

The  year  1849  was  occupied  with  home  work,  and 
success  crowned  the  efforts,  notwithstanding  the  op- 
position continually  experienced.  In  the  autumn  of 
1850  she  spent  nearly  three  months  in  the  United 
States,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Theo.  Lafleur,  a  recent 
convert,  and  was  received  more  cordially  than  ever, 
especially  at  Philadelphia,  where  $1,000  was  contrib- 
uted during  and  just  after  the  visit.  As  an  evidence 
of  her  standing  and  influence  it  was  stated  that  more 
than  one  half  of  the  above  sum  was  given  by  Pedo- 
baptist  ladies,  through  regard  for  her.  Christian  wom- 
en are  not  deterred  by  denominational  considera- 


96  MADAME   FELL,ER. 

tion  from  doing  charitable  deeds.  And  such  a  sun- 
burst of  joy  and  hope  upon  a  community  as  was  Ma- 
dame Feller's  appearance  imparts  light  and  love,  and 
opens  sources  of  benefit  before  unknown.  "  Our 
journey,"  she  writes,  "  was  a  happy  one  and  richly 
blessed.  Everywhere  we  found  the  interest  of  the 
friends  of  the  Mission  sustained,  and  God  in  His 
goodness  raised  up  new  ones  who  filled  us  with  joy 
by  their  noble  and  generous  eagerness  to  aid  us." 
The  return  from  the  United  States  was  signalized 
by  a  restoration  of  Madame  Feller's  health,  by  Mr. 
L,afleur's  acceptance  of  the  charge  at  St.  Pie,  and  by 
general  encouragement  along  all  missionary  lines. 
Mr.  Lafleur  says  (Hist.  Sketch)  :  "  The  work  has 
sufficiently  progressed  at  St.  Marie  to  justify  the  Mis- 
sion in  building  a  chapel  there,  which  was  dedicated 
in  1852.  On  the  day  of  dedication  the  new  place  of 
worship  was  entirely  filled  by  French  Canadian  con- 
verts, addressed  by  French  Canadian  pastors.  What 
a  difference  and  what  progress  since  the  dedication 
of  this  house  at  Grande  Ligne,  twelve  years  before. 
In  the  meantime  two  other  missionary  houses,  with 
chapels  attached,  wooden  buildings,  had  been  dedi- 
cated to  the  service  of  this  work  at  St.  Pie  and  Berea, 
in  the  township  of  Milton." 


A   MEMORIAL,.  97 


VIII. 


—  BINARY  ORBS; 
GIRLS'  SCHOOL;  LOUIS  ROUSSY;  FIRST 
CHURCH;  PERILS  OFT;  GRACE  AT  ST. 
MARIE;  ROUSSY  VS.  CHINIQUY;  CHAP- 
ELS BUILT;  MR.  CYR  ;  MR.  LAFLEUR  ; 
MR.  L.  CHAS.  ROUX;  MR.  TOUSSANT 
RIENDEAU. 

ANEW  orb  had  appeared  on  the  horizon  of  Prot- 
estantism —  a  young  man  who  evinced  talents 
for  signal  usefulness.  It  was  Narcisse  Cyr.  His  con- 
version occurred  simultaneously  with  that  of  Mr.  La- 
fleur.  They  left  the  Romish  church  together  ;  offered 
to  God  their  first  prayer  and  commenced  the  study 
of  the  Bible  together.  And  when  Mr.  Lafleur  was 
ordained*  at  St.  Pie,  Mr.  Cyr  preached  the  sermon,  in 
which  he  made  touching  references  to  the  circum- 
stances of  their  rescue  from  the  thralldom  of  Rome 
and  their  consecration,  unitedly,  to  the  cause  of  evan- 
gelical religion.  Madame  Feller  was  overcome  with 
joy,  as  she  said,  in  seeing  ojie  whom  she  had  watched 
over  as  a  pupil  and  loved  as  a  son,  enter  the  holy 
career  of  a  minister  of  Christ.  Her  sympathies  led 
her  to  make  everyone's  case  her  own,  and  a  part  of 
each  she  was. 

Another    element  of  progress  at    St.  Pie,   at  this 


9»  MADAME   FELLER. 

time,  was  a  girls'  school,  organized  under  the  super- 
intendence of  Mile.  Sophie  Jonte,  who  had  proven  her 
efficiency  as  teacher  in  a  term  of  about  ten  years  at 
Grande  L,igne.  Reenforced  by  Madame  L,afleur, 
"  bringing  to  this  incipient  school  of  twenty  girls  all 
the  distinction  of  her  nature  and  superior  education," 
much  good  was  done.  "  The  good  effects  were  soon 
witnessed  in  the  reformed  habits  of  the  pupils,  as  well 
as  in  their  progress  in  useful  knowledge.  Nor  were 
there  wanting  evidences  of  spiritual  benediction.  In 
fact,  the  blessing  of  the  Lord  accompanied  all  the  en- 
deavors of  the  missionaries."  Mile.  Jonte  continued  a 
prominent  character  in  the  Mission,  well  remembered 
and  greatly  esteemed  for  her  good  work.  She  was 
wholly  consecrated,  as  seen  in  the  fact  that  she  never 
received  a  salary  and  continued  in  the  work  for  more 
than  thirty  years.  During  her  early  teaching  she  did 
a  great  deal  of  household  work  and  paid  particular 
attention  to  the  gardening,  while  giving  much  of  her 
time  to  visiting  the  sick  and  ministering  to  them, 
having  some  knowledge  of  medical  treatment.  Her 
last  years  were  devoted  to  caring  for  homeless  old 
people,  in  a  modest  refuge  at  Grande  I/igne.  This 
that  she  did  will  be  spoken  of  for  a  memorial  of  her, 
in  time  to  come  and  throughout  the  Dominion. 

The  enterprising  spirit  of  evangelism  manifested 
itself  in  a  new  interest,  formed  from  St.  Pie  and  com- 
posed of  persons  who  had  been  members  of  it.  It 
was  at  Salem,  ten  or  twelve  miles  distant,  and  Mr. 
Hubert  Tetreau,  formerly  a  Roman  Catholic  priest,  as- 
sisted Mr.  L,afleur  at  both  of  these  points. 

The  romance    and    reality  of  the  great  life   that 


A   MEMORIAL.  99 

forms  the  basis  of  this  story  are  made  more  striking 
by  introducing  the  persons  who  were  closely  asso- 
ciated with  her.  The  picture  is  not  a  single  portrait, 
but  a  group  and  scene,  with  Madame  Feller  in  the 
foreground.  She  was  not  called  being  alone.  It 
scarcely  would  have  conformed  to  the  Gospel  plan 
and  precedent  had  she  not  been  favored  with  a  com- 
panion. The  "  two  and  two "  method  of  sending, 
adopted  by  our  Savior,  had  been  realized  in  the  case 
of  M.  Olivier  and  Madame  Olivier;  and  the  Holy 
Spirit  who  administers  in  missionary  affairs,  observ- 
ing the  same  plan,  made  suitable  provision  for  her. 
The  first  two  were  to  be  but  forerunners,  and  she  was 
not  to  reinforce  them  but  to  enter  into  the  labors 
that  they  were  about  to  close,  however  different  the 
expectation  of  each.  To  go  out  singly,  under  the 
circumstances,  would  not  have  been  the  mind  of  the 
Spirit  or  sound  missionary  policy,  howsoever  strong 
and  brave  she  may  have  been.  There  was  scarcely 
a  Protestant  in  the  Province,  and  there  were  many 
adversaries. 

The  merit  of  going  forth  alone,  therefore,  was 
not  exactly  what  her  enthusiastic  admirers  may  have 
supposed  it  to  have  been.  While  none  of  her  sex 
was  with  her,  and  she  without  a  husband,  a  gracious 
provision  was  made  in  the  companionship  of  one  of 
the  gentlest,  purest  and  noblest  of  men,  Rev.  Louis 
Roussy.  His  calling  was  like  her  own.  His  nativ- 
ity, temperament,  talent,  perseverance  and  zeal — all 
corresponded  to  hers.  Though  twelve  years  her  jun- 
ior, he  lived  an  equal  length  of  time,  or  twelve  years 
after  her  death;  and  this  excess  of  time  was  occupied 


IOO  MADAME    FELLER. 

in  unabated  devotion  to  the  same  service  upon  which 
they  entered  at  the  first. 

Louis  Roussy  was  born  at  Vevey,  Switzerland,  in 
1812.  His  parents  were  Protestants  of  the  Canton  de 
Vaud,  members  of  the  national  church ;  and  of  his 
mother  he  spoke  with  tender  affection  as  a  sincerely 
pious  woman  who  was  the  means  of  imparting  to  him 
his  first  deep  religious  impressions.  He  was  educated, 
primarily,  in  the  excellent  public  schools  of  his  town, 
and  then  engaged  to  serve  an  apprenticeship  as  a 
mason.  "  He  was  well  and  strongly  built,  and  would 
have  honored  the  trowel  and  the  hammer  had  he 
been  called  to  work  with  them  all  his  lifetime.  But 
the  Lord  had  something  else  for  him  to  do.  .  .  . 
He  very  often  said  that  early  in  life  he  read  the  Bible 
with  his  mother,  that  she  read  to  him  missionary  re- 
ports of  labors  among  pagan  nations,  and  that  it  was  a 
wonder  to  him  that  Christian  people  did  not  do  more 
to  rescue  them  from  their  terrible  state,  promising 
himself  that  so  soon  as  he  was  old  enough  he  would 
go  forth  armed  with  the  promises  of  God.  'Yes,' 
said  he,  '  my  soul  was  ablaze  about  it,  and  if  later 
on  I  did  not  go  to  the  foreign  missionary  field,  it  was 
because  I  felt  less  qualified  for  it  than  for  mission 
work  among  ignorant  French  Roman  Catholics.' 
.  .  .  .  After  his  conversion,  his  burning  zeal  led 
him  to  undertake  a  work  of  colportage  in  France. 
While  he  was  thus  engaged,  a  school  for  the  prepa- 
ration of  evangelists  and  missionaries  was  formed  in 
Lausanne.  Our  friend  made  up  his  mind  to  go  there 
and  prepare  himself  for  missionary  work.  It  was 
while  pursuing  those  studies  at  Lausanne  that  he 


A   MEMORIAL.  IOI 

became  acquainted  with  Madame  Feller.  As  she  had 
already  decided  to  go  and  join  her  friends,  M.  and 
Madame  Olivier,  in  their  missionary  attempt  in  Can- 
ada, he  also  felt  called  to  accompany  her  to  that  mis- 
sionary field." — (Theodore  Lafleur?) 

Having  reached  the  field  and  tested  the  accessi- 
bility of  its  inhabitants,  Mr.  Roussy,  as  heretofore 
stated,  accepted  the  only  shelter  offered  to  him,  and 
began  to  hold  service  in  a  log  house  at  Grande  Ligne. 
In  this  he  continued  to  preach  for  some  time,  when 
Madame  Feller,  after  an  unsuccessful  attempt  to  in- 
troduce the  Gospel  at  St.  Johns,  came  and  occupied 
the  garret  of  it  as  a  home  for  herself  and  a  school- 
room for  the  children  of  converts  and  a  few  others. 
This  cabin  became  and  still  is  one  of  the  most  noted 
and  interesting  objects  in  the  history  of  Grande  Ligne. 
Such  is  the  regard  in  which  it  is  held  that,  after  hav- 
ing been  occupied  by  one  of  the  converts,  it  has  been 
bought  by  the  Mission  Board  and  removed  to  the 
Mission  premises,  and  is  used  as  a  hospital  for  the 
school. 

Mr.  Roussy,  after  working  a  year  or  more,  had  the 
joy  of  baptizing  four  converts  (June  30,  1837)  ;  in 
three  weeks,  three  others,  and  soon  afterward,  seven ; 
and  then  was  formed  the  first  French  Protestant  and 
Baptist  Church  in  Canada,  numbering,  inclusive  of  the 
missionaries,  sixteen  souls.  How  "blest  the  tie"  that 
bound  them  together  !  Each  to  each  how  dear !  — 
penned  in  a  hut,  yet  in  Christ  "free  indeed";  living 
in  apprehension  of  a  rout  by  the  foe,  yet  rejoicing  in 
Him  who  is  the  refuge  of  His  saints  ;  loving  their 
enemies,  though  constrained  to  say  at  times,  in  the 


IO2  MADAME   FELLER. 

words  of  Paul,  "  The  more  I  love  the  less  I  am  loved." 
The  third  baptismal  occasion  drew  spectators  from 
Montreal,  thirty-four  miles,  and  these,  being  friends, 
manifested  deep  interest  and  sympathy  for  the  little 
flock,  and  rendered  substantial  aid  by  collecting  a 
sufficient  amount  to  build  the  temporary  school-house, 
and  securing  funds  from  the  Canada  Baptist  Mission- 
ary Society  for  general  expenses.  The  members  ral- 
lied to  the  call  of  their  valiant  pastor  under  all  cir- 
cumstances— in  the  cabin,  the  barn,  the  flight  to  the 
United  States,  the  return,  and  on  amidst  the  "  spoil- 
ing of  their  goods"  and  all  their  tribulations. 

Mr.  Roussy's  faithfulness  to  the  cause  he  had 
espoused,  from  his  twenty-third  year  to  his  sixty- 
eighth —  from  young  manhood  to  age  and  death,  a 
period  of  forty-five  years — is  one  of  the  many  very 
creditable  facts  in  modern  missionary  history.  As 
the  only  man  in  the  Mission's  service  during  its  early 
trials,  he  had  the  loads  to  carry  that  belong  to  men, 
and  a  sympathetic  relation  to  Madame  Feller  to  sus- 
tain. She  made  an  entrance  of  Gospel  light  possible 
in  many  homes  in  which  the  giving  of  the  light  by 
public  discourse  depended  upon  him.  Operating  to- 
gether, to  conciliate  and  to  convert,  they  exemplified 
the  "  two  and  two  "  plan  of  evangelizing  in  a  some- 
what unusual  way.  The  preaching,  as  always,  being 
the  supreme  idea  of  Christ,  was  for  him  to  do ;  and 
right  royally  did  he  perform  the  duty.  No  difficulties 
at  all  surmountable  were  permitted  to  obstruct  his 
course.  His  message  was,  in  some  instances,  rejected 
and  his  person  exposed  to  violence.  An  attempt  was 
made  on  one  occasion  to  burn  the  house  in  which  he 


A   MEMORIAL.  103 

was  preaching.  He  succeeded  in  distributing  a  large 
number  of  copies  of  the  New  Testament,  some  of 
which  were  destroyed,  in  obedience  to  the  instruc- 
tions of  the  priests,  while  many  others  were  saved, 
read  diligently  and  awakened  a  spirit  of  serious  in- 
quiry. 

While  in  exile  at  Champlain,  N.  Y.,  he  labored 
zealously  in  word  and  doctrine.  After  returning  to 
his  proper  field  he  was  as  diligent  and  unsparing  of 
himself  as  he  could  have  been  had  no  adverse  ex- 
periences occurred,  calculated  to  alienate  his  mind 
from  the  people.  He  had  numerous  preaching  places, 
and  the  distances  were  so  great  that  he  spent  most  of 
his  time  in  the  saddle,  exposed  to  be  shot  by  lurking 
assassins.  Once  a  marksman  tried  his  skill  on  him 
and  failed.  During  the  Rebellion  of  1838  the  in- 
surgents went  through  the  neighborhoods,  searching 
for  and  pressing  into  the  war  the  men  who  were  ob- 
tainable, not  omitting  the  Mission-house  in  their  calls. 
A  Mr.  Relling,  German  from  Switzerland,  having  been 
exempted  through  the  pleading  of  a  Swiss  servant,  in- 
quiry was  made  for  Mr.  Roussy,  who  was  up-stairs. 
He  was  told  that  they  had  orders  to  take  him  as  a 
prisoner,  and  in  their  eagerness  to  execute  the  orders 
proceeded  to  saddle  his  horse.  But  the  pleadings  of 
Madame  Feller,  seconded  by  the  servant,  secured  his 
exemption  also.  Some  said  to  others,  "  Let  Mr. 
Roussy  alone  ;  do  no  harm  to  these  good  people."  So 
both  escaped,  on  condition  that  they  should  consider 
themselves  prisoners  in  their  own  house.  These 
patriot  recruiters  likewise  assured  protection  to  the 
house,  guaranteeing  safety  from  all  outrage  and  plun- 


104  MADAME   FELLER. 

der  ;  and  they  kept  their  word.  They  seized  horses 
everywhere,  but  they  did  not  touch  Bro.  Roussy's ; 
such  was  the  respect  he  inspired  in  them.  They  were 
temporary  masters  of  the  country,  politically  in  the 
right,  and  their  grievances  were  removed  by  the  re- 
bellion. 

In  the  first  years  of  the  Mission  Mr.  Roussy's  du- 
ties were  multiform  and  exacting.  When  Madame 
Feller  went  to  the  United  States  with  Dr.  Kirk,  on  a 
collecting  tour,  the  entire  work  at  home  fell  to  him. 
In  1839,  when  materials  were  gathered  for  the  new 
building,  since  burned,  he  brought  architectural  skill 
and  economy  to  bear  upon  its  erection.  With  his 
knowledge  of  the  mason's  craft  he  superintended  the 
work,  saving  the  expense  of  architect  and  contractor ; 
and  the  day  of  its  dedication,  August  9,  1840,  was 
thought  to  be  the  happiest  with  him  in  all  his  mis- 
sionary career.  With  what  satisfaction  he  taught  and 
preached  within  its  walls  in  the  years  following !  Per- 
haps a  greater  day  for  him  and  the  cause  at  large 
was  that  in  which  he  led  Leon  Normandeau  to  the 
feet  of  Jesus,  a  happy  convert  from  the  Romish  priest- 
hood, taken  with  the  day  on  which  it  appeared  that  he 
would  be  a  valuable  teacher  in  the  school.  He  wrote 
at  the  time :  "  We  have  been  long  asking  the  Lord 
to  send  laborers  into  His  harvest.  Our  eyes  were 
fixed  on  our  own  Switzerland,  whence  we  looked  for 
help ;  and  lo !  the  Lord  has  answered  us  in  a  man- 
ner we  had  not  thought  of  or  asked.  He  has  given 
us  one  of  the  leaders  of  this  people,  young,  intelli- 
gent, full  of  energy."  Mr.  Lafleur  calls  him  "  a  born 
teacher,"  and  adds  concerning  the  joy  and  relief  that 


A    MEMORIAL.  105 

his  conversion  brought :  "  Mr.  Roussy  was  left  more 
liberty  to  follow  his  more  congenial  work,  viz.,  evan- 
gelization. For  this  he  was  ready,  at  all  times,  to 
start  on  long  journeys  and  to  spend  early  and  late 
hours  talking  with  the  people  in  dingy  homes,  sleep- 
ing anywhere  where  he  could,  and  accommodating 
himself  to  all  kinds  of  fare.  His  evangelistic  work 
gave  him  many  occasions  of  great  rejoicing."  Some 
of  these  may  here  be  noted. 

The  conversion  of  Dr.  Cote,  physician  and  political 
refugee,  in  which  Mr.  Roussy  was  the  direct  means, 
following  up  the  influences  that  had  come  more  di- 
rectly from  the  Holy  Spirit,  has  been  mentioned  in 
preceding  pages.  "After  many  struggles  of  mind  and 
heart  Mr.  Roussy  saw  his  new  friend  yield  to  the 
power  of  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus.  They  knelt  and 
prayed  and  wept  together;  Dr.  Cote  was  converted 
and  became  a  mighty  laborer  in  the  work  of  French 
evangelization."  The  conversion  of  Mrs.  Cote,  which 
followed,  was  equally  strange,  and  with  that  important 
event,  also,  Mr.  Roussy  was  prominently  connected. 
His  modest  account  of  it  is  the  best  source  of  informa- 
tion. 

At  St.  Marie  (Marieville)  an  extraordinary  display 
of  grace  made  a  new  call  upon  the  Mission.  Through 
Dr.  Cote  the  Gospel  had  penetrated  the  place.  Com- 
mencing by  preaching  in  a  farmhouse,  an  entire  family 
was  converted  to  evangelical  views.  "  The  prominent 
convert  in  that  household  was  a  school-mistress,  who 
herself  became  a  faithful  witness.  So  much  encour- 
aged was  the  Doctor  that  he  determined  to  take  up  his 
abode  in  the  village.  "As  soon  as  this  was  suspected 


106  MADAME    FELLER. 

measures  were  taken  to  prevent  him  from  obtaining  a 
house,  but  an  English  gentleman,  who  befriended  the 
cause,  purchased  a  house  that  was  offered  for  sale,  and 
allowed  Dr.  Cote  to  occupy  it.  Great  was  the  wrath  of 
the  priest  of  the  parish  and  his  adherents.  A  mob 
was  collected  who  avowed  their  determination  to  expel 
the  Doctor  from  the  house  and  village ;  but  their 
courage  oozed  out  when  they  reached  the  spot,  and 
after  some  noisy  demonstrations  they  quietly  dis- 
persed, leaving  the  missionary  master  of  the  situation. 
He  continued  to  preach  to  the  people,  and  gained  their 
confidence  by  the  kindness  with  which  he  dispensed 
medical  advice  and  aid  while  rendering  instruction  to 
their  souls." 

The  work  at  St.  Marie  originated  in  efforts  to  be 
credited  to  the  Grande  Ligne  band,  and  more  particu- 
larly to  Mr.  Roussy  and  Rev.  Louis  Auger,  now  of 
Detroit,  Michigan.  At  this  period  it  would  have  been 
a  strange  movement  in  which  Mr.  Roussy  had  not  par- 
ticipated, if  not  foremost  to  suggest  and  inspire.  Dr. 
Cote  entered  into  his  labors  there,  and  in  turn  he  en- 
tered into  Dr.  Cote's.  Mr.  Roussy  and  others  labored 
many  years  in  this  place  with  remarkable  success, 
bringing  several  other  families  to  the  knowledge  of  the 
Gospel,  forming  a  church,  and  building  a  good  chapel, 
which  is  still  the  center  of  an  increasing  Protestant 
community.  It  was  here  that  one  of  the  greatest  feats 
of  his  life  was  performed  in  behalf  of  evangelical  re- 
ligion. Though  naturally  amiable  and  tender  toward 
others,  shrinking  from  polemics  for  any  other  reason 
than  defense  of  the  truth,  he  nevertheless  rose  to  lofty 
heights  when  he  had  a  cause  to  maintain  against  its 


A   MEMORIAL.  107 

adversaries.  "  He  was  endowed,"  says  Mr.  L,afleur, 
"with  health,  great  physical  strength,  a  warm  heart,  a 
vivid  and  large  imagination,  and  great  natural  elo- 
quence." His  abilities  were  proven  in  the  feat  referred 
to  and  here  related  : 

The  Romanists  deemed  it  wise  to  check  the  prog- 
ress of  the  work  at  St.  Marie  in  some  demonstrative 
way.  They  had  a  very  popular  priest,  widely  known 
as  a  zealous  and  eloquent  champion  of  the  cause 
of  temperance — Rev.  C.  Chiniquy.  Taking  advantage 
of  his  preaching  gift  and  his  acceptance  with  the  more 
influential  classes  as  a  temperance  advocate,  they  led 
him  out  on  the  field  of  controversy  for  the  abolition  of 
the  rising  cause.  Though  he  did  not  deign  to  invite 
Mr.  Roussy  to  discuss  with  him,  yet  his  procedure  was 
so  objectionable  as  to  provoke  him  to  a  defense.  "  He 
harangued  the  people  with  great  violence,  anathematiz- 
ing all  who  forsook  his  church,  and  circulating  wher- 
ever he  went  the  grossest  misrepresentations  and  slan- 
ders of  the  opinions  and  characters  of  those  who  dif- 
fered from  him.  Mr.  Roussy  found  it  necessary  to  take 
up  the  weapons  of  controversy.  A  public  discussion 
was  arranged.  It  took  place  at  St.  Marie  in  the  pres- 
ence of  a  large  assembly.  A  Roman  Catholic  gentle- 
man presided,  and  very  suitable  regulations  were  made 
for  the  preservation  of  order,  by  which,  however,  it  was 
difficult  to  restrain  Mr.  Chiniquy.  The  discussion  was 
continued  for  a  considerable  time,  and  Mr.  Roussy  ad- 
duced powerful  arguments  in  support  of  the  authority 
of  the  Scriptures  and  in  opposition  to  the  novelties  of 
Romanism ;  so  powerful  that  the  Roman  Catholics 
present  were  astonished,  and  confessed  the  failure  of 


io8  MADAME  FELLER. 

their  champion.  The  successful  issue  of  this  affair  was 
justly  reckoned  among  the  '  blessings  '  of  the  year,  and 
the  friends  of  the  Mission  were  encouraged  and  thank- 
ful." 

After  the  modest  master  in  Israel  had  gained  this 
victory  a  change  was  manifest  in  two  particulars.  The 
failure  of  Mr.  Chiniquy,  though  it  did  not  break  the 
back  of  Romanism,  proved  that  only  a  very  skillful 
debater  could  give  it  so  much  as  an  appearance  of 
truthfulness  ;  while  it  weakened  the  props  of  some  and 
created  an  uproar  in  the  parish.  The  other  effect  was 
the  conversion,  a  few  years  later,  of  the  Goliath  of  the 
field.  He  was  slain,  doctrinally,  and  could  not  rise 
except  through  newness  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus.  He 
embraced  Protestantism,  entered  the  Presbyterian  min- 
istry, and  became  "  distinguished  by  unflagging  zeal  in 
behalf  of  the  cause  to  which  he  was  so  furiously  op- 
posed in  previous  years."  Thus  it  was  Mr.  Roussy's 
exalted  privilege  to  be  the  means  of  subduing  to  Christ 
some  of  the  Anakim  of  the  land,  who  then  became 
princes  in  Israel. 

Mr.  Roussy  abounded  in  self-denial  and  exhaust- 
ing labors  at  St.  Marie,  and  the  cause  advanced  suf- 
ficiently to  require  the  erection  of  a  chapel,  which  was 
dedicated  in  1852.  "  On  the  day  of  dedication  the  new 
place  of  worship  was  entirely  filled  by  French  Cana- 
dian converts,  addressed  by  French  Canadian  pastors. 
What  a  difference,  and  what  progress  since  the  dedica- 
tion of  the  house  at  Grande  Ligne,  twelve  years  be- 
fore !  In  the  meantime,  two  other  missionary  houses, 
with  chapels  attached,  wooden  buildings,  had  been 
dedicated  to  the  service  of  this  work,  at  St.  Pie  and 


A   MEMORIAL.  IOQ 

Berea." — (Lafleur^)  The  chapel  at  St.  Marie  was  an 
object  of  great  interest  to  the  Christians,  and  amaze- 
ment to  others.  It  was  constructed  of  brick,  neat  in 
design,  and  pleasantly  situated  on  a  fine  piece  of 
meadow  given  for  the  purpose  by  a  French  Canadian 
convert  for  church  and  graveyard.  The  whole  was 
surrounded  by  beautiful  elm  trees,  with  a  small 
brook  in  the  rear,  bordered  by  bushes.  The  church 
as  a  body  was  rewarded  for  its  earnestness  in  the 
conversion  of  souls.  Its  numbers  were  increased,  and 
its  fellowship  was  sweet.  "  Even  the  priests  confessed 
that  great  changes  had  been  effected,  and  wondered 
how  the}7  had  been  accomplished."  Madame  Feller 
found  opportunity  to  attend  its  meetings,  though  it 
was  twenty-five  miles  from  Grande  lyigne ;  at  one 
time,  for  ten  days,  when  nightly  services  were  held 
and  souls  blessed. 

The  name  of  Mr.  Roussy  has  been  introduced  with 
considerable  particularity,  as  being  associated  with 
that  of  Madame  Feller  in  the  origin  and  all  the  opera- 
tions of  the  Mission.  Others,  not  husband  and  wife, 
could  scarcely  be  more  closely  and  honorably  related 
in  Christian  work  than  were  they  for  one  third  of  a 
century.  And  there  were  others,  associated  with  them 
and  even  indebted  to  them  for  their  hopes  of  Heaven, 
who  attained  very  high  credit  as  means  to  the  opening 
of  the  Canadas  to  the  Gospel.  Narcisse  Cyr,  one  of 
these,  was  young  and  talented  and  gave  promise  of 
great  usefulness.  He  was  sent  to  Geneva,  Switzer- 
land, partly  at  the  expense  of  the  Mission,  that  he 
might  study  under  Dr.  Merle  d'Aubign6.  Having  re- 
turned, he  commenced  preaching  with  zeal  and  power, 


1 10  MADAME   FEU.ER. 

as  opportunity  favored.  He  labored  with  Grande 
Ligne,  at  Napierville,  Montreal,  and  perhaps  else- 
where. Having  a  diversity  of  gifts  he  established  a 
religious  periodical,  Le  Semeur  Canadien,  "  which 
proved  eminently  conducive,  for  thirteen  years,  to  the 
spread  of  knowledge  and  truth."  It  was  the  first 
French  Protestant  paper  ever  published  in  Canada; 
probably  the  first  on  the  continent.  It  was  printed 
at  Napierville  on  a  hand  press,  and  afterward  in  Mon- 
treal on  a  larger  scale.  After  twenty  years  with 
Grande  Ligne  he  became  superintendent  of  French 
Missions  in  New  England,  under  the  American  Bap- 
tist Home  Mission  Society,  residing  then  at  Rutland, 
Vt.  Later  he  settled  in  Boston,  then  in  Springfield, 
Mass.,  where  he  died.  He  was  buried  at  Grande 
Ligne.  He  was  specially  useful  as  writer  and  jour- 
nalist. 

Rev.  Theodore  Lafleur,  who  had  left  the  Romish 
Church  with  Mr.  Cyr,  likewise  followed  him  to  Gene- 
va as  a  student,  spent  four  years  there  and  returned 
to  engage  in  the  same  work.  His  connection  with  the 
Mission  has  been  useful  and  protracted,  as  principal  of 
Feller  Institute  at  Longueuil  several  years;  as  com- 
panion to  Madame  Feller  in  a  long  collecting  tour 
in  the  United  States,  as  pastor  at  St.  Pi6,  Salem  and 
Montreal,  and  as  secretary,  historian  and  special  advo- 
cate of  the  Grande  Ligne  cause.  At  this  writing  he 
is  general  missionary,  and  also  editor  of  L'Aurore,  in 
Montreal,  and  enjoys  the  unequaled  esteem  of  the 
denomination  on  account  of  his  eminence  in  litera- 
ture and  theology. 

Another    fellow   student   at   Geneva    was   Mr.  L. 


A   MEMORIAL.  Ill 

Charles  Roux,  who  joined  the  missionary  band  the 
same  year,  and,  after  rendering  efficient  service  to  it 
and  serving  as  principal  of  the  school,  became  Pro- 
fessor of  French  in  Vermont  Academy. 

Mr.  Toussant  Riendeau,  still  another  convert  of 
this  period,  entered  upon  the  work  of  evangelization, 
making  four  cotemporaries,  some  of  them  early  allied 
to  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,  which 
aided  in  their  support  as  missionaries  among  the 
French  in  the  Province  of  Quebec.  They  had  been 
related  to  the  Mission,  were  still  in  its  vicinity,  and 
were  stars  to  its  honor.  Mr.  Riendeau,  more  than 
any  other  missionary  of  Grande  Ligne,  labored  to  se- 
cure funds,  traveling  extensively  in  Canada,  United 
States  and  Great  Britain.  He  took  a  course  at  Roch- 
ester University;  was  pastor  at  St.  Pie,  twenty-three 
years  at  Marieville,  and  several  years  at  St.  Johns, 
where  he  died. 


112  MADAME    FELLER. 


IX. 


HYMNS-, 

ST.  PIE  AND  LONGUEUIL;  COLPOR- 
TERS  ELOI  ROY,  Z.  PATENAUDE,  JO- 
SEPH GENDREAU;  "  SOREL  AND  ITS 
SHAME";  COLPORTAGE  A  FORCE;  ONE 
SCORE  YEARS. 

A  SINGULAR  provision  for  public  and  private  sing- 
-"•  ing  was  made  (in  1852)  to  meet  an  urgent  want 
of  the  congregation.  There  was  no  hymn-book  within 
reach  that  could  be  used  by  French  Christians,  because 
there  was  none  in  their  own  tongue.  At  length  one  of 
the  missionaries  prepared  a  collection  of  hymns,  about 
four  hundred  in  number,  which  added  greatly  to  their 
enjoyment.  When  the  congregation  was  mixed,  hymns 
on  the  same  subject  and  in  the  same  metre  would  be 
chosen  from  both  the  English  and  French  collections. 
The  words  might  correspond  in  sentiment  without 
being  the  same.  Thus  neither  would  understand  the 
other,  yet  there  would  be  a  sacred  and  delightful  one- 
ness of  thought  and  union  of  hearts.  During  the  re- 
vival at  St.  Marie,  a  Christian,  eighty-three  years  of 
age,  wrote  Madame  Feller,  "  was  so  happy  in  singing 
the  praises  of  God  in  the  new  house  of  worship  that 
his  tremulous  voice  was  heard  above  all  the  others. 
His  dimmed  eyes  filled  with  tears  of  gratitude  when- 


A   MEMORIAL.  113 

ever  he  spoke  of  the  boundless  love  of  Jesus  in  saving 
him  at  the  eleventh  hour." 

A  circumstance  occurred  at  the  close  of  the  year 
1854  which  would  generally  be  classed  among  calam- 
ities, but  which  was  so  ordered  by  the  Divine  Mind  as 
to  prove  a  blessing.  The  mission  premises  at  St.  Pie 
were  destroyed  by  fire,  and  the  school  scattered,  after 
ten  years  or  more  of  consecrated  labor  in  the  place. 
But  the  congregation  became  strong  and  built  a  chapel 
in  the  factory  village.  The  removal  of  the  school  to  a 
better  locality  had  been  desired  for  some  time,  and  the 
occasion  was  now  forced  upon  the  Mission  and  its 
friends.  The  religious  feature  of  the  work  after  some 
interruption  was  sustained  and  ultimately  became  one 
of  the  most  cherished  interests  in  the  province.  Eligi- 
ble premises,  with  a  partially  constructed  building,  at 
IvOngueuil,  near  to  Montreal,  on  the  opposite  bank  of 
the  St.  Lawrence,  were  offered  for  sale  and  purchased. 
The  school  was  removed  to  that  place,  its  attendance 
limited  to  girls  and  the  course  of  instruction  enlarged. 
It  became  known  as  "  Feller  Institute,"  and  many 
youths  there  received  a  useful  education  and  the  fun- 
damental principles  of  the  Christian  religion.  The 
building  was  so  far  completed  the  first  year  as  to  ac- 
commodate fifty  pupils ;  the  small  expense  incurred 
requiring  great  sacrifices. 

In  her  annual  letter  to  the  Ladies'  Associations, 
Madame  Feller  thus  speaks  of  the  school : 

We  consider  this  institution  for  the  education  of  our 
females  as  a  gift  of  God  to  our  country,  and  one  of  the  best 
means  of  scattering  the  inestimable  blessings  of  the  Gospel 
around  its  firesides.  We  have  opened  with  but  twenty-six 


I  14  MADAME   FELLER. 

pupils,  although  we  had  applications  and  room  for  a  larger 
number.  The  prices  of  all  articles  of  food  are  kept  so  high 
that  we  thought  it  prudent  not  to  fill  the  house  this  winter. 
.  .  .  The  plan  adopted  at  St.  Pie  is  to  be  carried  out  at 
Longueuil ;  the  pupils  are  to  do  all  the  work  of  the  estab- 
lishment. Mile.  Jonte,  who  is  well  experienced  in  house- 
hold matters,  directs  them  in  this  department.  Madame 
Lafleur  has  charge  of  the  studies,  and  will  be  assisted  by 
Mile.  Brocher,  a  young  person  whose  heart  and  tastes  are 
missionary,  and  who  has  left  a  school  in  Switzerland  to 
come  and  settle  herself  in  that  of  Longueuil,  for  which  she 
seems  to  us  perfectly  adapted. 

Twenty  years  had  passed  since  this  missionary 
enterprise  began,  and  time  had  been  given,  therefore, 
to  test  its  acceptance  to  God  and  usefulness  to  men. 
In  these  particulars  the  most  signal  .manifestations  in 
its  favor  were  observable,  the  principal  evidence  hav- 
ing been  its  experience  of  suffering  and  the  blessing 
that  followed.  Missions  usually  are  fertilized  with 
blood,  especially  in  their  first  years,  and  the  Grande 
Ligne  is  not  an  exception.  It  required  the  most  im- 
plicit and  unwavering  faith  by  the  missionaries,  who 
also  were  movers  of  the  enterprise.  They  separated 
from  country  and  kindred,  with  an  ocean  between ; 
they  had  no  foundation  or  nucleus  of  believers.  They 
did  have  an  origin  and  a  language  in  common  with 
those  whose  evangelization  they  sought,  but  these 
Canadian  French  had  no  sympathy  with  evangelism. 
Like  the  Master,  the  missionaries  came  unto  their  own 
and  their  own  received  them  not.  Unlike  the  uncon- 
verted generally,  they  had  a  religion  to  fight  for,  and 
were  deceived  in  respect  to  it  by  a  deceptive  priest- 


LOXGUEUIL  SCHOOL. 


"3 


A    MEMORIAL.  115 

hood.  They  had  been  kept  in  ignorance  and  super- 
stition. They  clung  to  priestly  robes  for  safety,  and 
were  difficult  subjects  of  saving  effort — essentially 
heathen,  bowing  to  images. 

In  reviewing  the  successes  of  Christian  work,  as  it 
widened  out  from  Grande  Ligne,  much  credit  must  be 
given  to  colportage  ;  the  hand-to-hand  service  which 
few  will  undertake,  but  which  when  well  performed  is 
one  of  the  most  efficient  forms  of  usefulness.  A  per- 
son of  good  spirit  and  endurance  will  till  the  ground 
and  plant  seed  wherever  he  goes,  while  growth  is  as- 
sured by  unfailing  promises  and  laws.  And  if  to  those 
qualities  are  added  a  talent  for  convincing  the  gain- 
saying at  once,  making  them  thoughtful  and  penitent, 
the  service  becomes  conspicuous  among  the  ways  of 
saving  the  lost. 

In  no  field,  perhaps,  has  the  colporter  exhibited 
more  force  and  brought  forth  more  immediate  fruit 
than  among  the  French  in  Canada.  And  in  no  field 
has  talent  been  more  necessary  to  the  end  sought.  It 
is  highly  interesting  to  note  some  cases ;  and  this  is 
in  keeping  with  the  object  of  this  narrative.  Going  to 
first  sources,  some  accounts  will  be  drawn  from  Mr. 
Lafleur's  "  Historical  Sketch  "  : 

In  the  year  1854  four  new  parishes  were  opened  to 
the  Gospel,  mainly  by  the  labors  of  two  colporters,  whose 
names  and  work  deserve  a  mention  in  this  historical 
sketch,  because  they  have  been  among  the  great  labor- 
ers in  this  Mission.  One  bore  the  name  of  Eloi  Roy, 
and  the  other  Zephirin  Patenaude.  Both  were  stalwart 
and  strong,  but  they  resembled  each  other  neither  phys- 
ically nor  mentally  ;  and  still  there  was  one  thing  in 


Il6  MADAME    FELLER. 

which  they  were  alike,  namely,  in  fitness  for  their  call- 
ing. Those  to  whom  they  presented  the  Gospel  were 
struck  with  the  power  of  their  argumentation,  and  seldom 
if  ever  became  irritated  toward  them.  They  had  so  much 
tact,  they  understood  so  well  the  religious  ideas  and  even 
the  superstitions  of  their  own  people ;  they  so  well  knew 
how  to  present  to  them  evangelical  truth  and  to  disarm 
them  of  their  prejudices  and  hatred  against  Protestants 
that  they  often  left  friends  where  they  had  at  first  met 
adversaries  or  enemies.  One  of  them  with  his  fine  open 
face,  with  easy  and  flowing  language,  pleased  from  the 
first.  The  other,  with  an  air  of  modesty  that  seemed 
ready  to  accept  any  kind  of  reasoning,  even  insults,  har- 
bored under  an  awkward  appearance  a  very  acute  mind, 
which  knew  how  to  find  the  weak  point,  to  dislocate  a 
lame,  popular  argument,  to  show  the  falsity  of  the  spe- 
cious reasoning  of  Roman  Catholic  controversy,  and  in 
such  a  pleasant  and  alert  way  that  oftentimes  the  ad- 
versary would  end  by  smiling  on  his  own  defeat.  Many  a 
minister  with  much  more  acquired  knowledge  has  learned 
from  him  the  lesson  of  a  keen  and  penetrating  contro- 
versy. Many  are  those  whom  these  two  colporters  have 
brought  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Gospel,  and  of  whom 
they  have  begun  the  spiritual  conversion. 

Mr.  Boucher  Bellville,  editor  of  a  French  political 
journal  and  secretary  to  the  Minister  of  Public  Instruc- 
tion for  the  Province  of  Quebec,  was  one  of  the  tro- 
phies of  Mr.  Eloi  Roy's  personal  visits.  While  a  pris- 
oner during  the  Rebellion  of  1837-38  he  read  the 
Bible,  though  imbued  with  Voltairean  views.  One  day 
he  was  seen  to  throw  it  across  the  room,  declaring  it 
to  be  but  a  pack  of  legends.  The  colporter  persuaded 
him  to  peruse  it  again,  quietly  and  carefully,  especially 


A   MEMORIAL.  117 

the  New  Testament,  and  subsequently  found  him  so 
much  changed  that,  after  a  long  interview,  late  in  the 
night,  he  asked  him  to  kneel  with  him  in  prayer.  The 
gentleman  of  rank  readily  consented  to  go  down  on  his 
knees  beside  the  lowly  man  of  God,  sought  and  ob- 
tained saving  grace,  and  in  the  course  of  a  year  was 
baptized  by  Mr.  Roussy  as  a  member  of  the  church  at 
Grande  L,igne. 

This  successful  and  honored  servant  of  the  Most 
High  continued  in  the  colportage  work  for  seventeen 
years — a  period  that  would  test  the  physical  endurance 
and  moral  courage  of  the  mightiest  of  men — and  when 
it  is  considered  that  his  labors  were  for  people  who 
were  bewitched  and  befogged  by  their  religious  leaders, 
and  impelled  to  spurn  all  persons  seeking  to  show  them 
the  true,  the  saving  religion,  it  will  be  seen  what  strug- 
gles he  passed  through.  Every  victory  that  he  gained 
was  the  result  of  great  and  generally  protracted  effort. 
The  ordinary  preacher  does  not  experience  such  a  con- 
tinued mental  strain.  So  the  time  came  when  the 
"  silver  cord  was  loosed."  He  withdrew  from  mission 
labor  and  cultivated  a  farm  to  meet  the  needs  of  his 
family,  to  which  his  small  salary  was  insufficient.  Yet 
so  conscientious  was  he  that  he  suffered  much  distress 
on  account  of  what  afterward  seemed  to  him  to  be 
evasion  of  duty.  Doubtless  this  step  was  justifiable, 
for  the  time  of  his  departure  was  at  hand,  and  having 
recovered  his  peace  of  mind  at  the  mercy  seat,  he  en- 
tered upon  his  eternal  rest  February,  1866,  aged  forty- 
eight. 

His  death  was  a  painful  bereavement,  felt  by  Mad- 
ame Feller  and  all  the  missionaries.  "  His  colleagues 


Il8  MADAME   FELLER. 

in  the  mission  held  him  in  high  esteem  and  confided  in 
his  judgment.  He  braved  all  weather  and  faced  all 
dangers  and  shrank  from  no  fatigue.  The  blessing  of 
God  rested  on  his  efforts.  He  was  one  of  the  most 
useful  of  those  by  whose  endeavors  light  and  grace  per- 
vaded Canadian  homes."  The  missionaries  testified  to 
his  eminent  fitness  for  his  work  :  "  Strong,  manly,  san- 
guine, easily  moved  to  tears,  singularly  intelligent,  with 
an  open  countenance,  which  was  but  the  manifestation 
of  his  kind,  warm  heart.  It  was  proverbial  that  no 
one,  however  opposed,  could  get  angry  with  him. 
With  a  very  limited  education,  his  clear  perception  of 
truth  and  his  strong  intellect  made  him  a  giant  in  con- 
troversy." 

The  other  colporter,  Zephirin  Patenaude,  was  very  mod- 
est, judicious  about  work,  but  his  zeal  to  make  known  the 
truth  was  such  that  he  oftentimes  got  himself  into  trouble 
by  going  too  boldly  in  the  face  of  opposition,  accompanying 
anxious  enquirers  to  the  house  of  the  priests,  who  all  de- 
tested him.  He  was  many  a  time  maltreated,  put  in  jail 
for  a  night,  and  once  in  a  cold  winter  night  had  to  stay 
outdoor  all  night,  because  no  one  would  give  him  shelter. 
It  was  in  a  country  parish,  where  houses  are  far  apart,  and 
where  the  priest  had  forbidden  his  people  to  receive  Bible 
colporters  in  their  houses. 

Several  years  after  this  memorable  night,  our  colporter 
was  going  from  house  to  house  in  the  parish  of  St.  D.  It 
was  on  a  cold,  bleak  day  of  February,  and  as  the  day  wore 
on  he  began  to  ask  for  shelter  for  the  night,  but  met  with 
a  refusal  at  every  door.  As  a  last  resort  he  directed  his 
steps  towards  a  lonely  house,  some  distance  from  the  road, 
in  the  field ;  there  he  found  four  men  smoking  around  a 
stove.  He  did  not  dare  at  first  to  ask  lodging  for  the 


A   MEMORIAL.  1 19 

night,  but  only  permission  to  warm  himself.  That  was 
granted,  but  in  a  few  moments,  as  if  knowing  his  occupa- 
tion, they  began  to  talk  on  the  subject  of  religion,  and  pres- 
ently asked  him  what  his  ideas  were  on  this  and  that  con- 
troverted point.  His  state  of  mind  may  easily  be  imag- 
ined. He  was  convinced  that  if  he  frankly  expressed  his 
opinion  he  would  be  told  to  depart,  and  thus  face  another 
cold  winter  night  out-of-doors ;  and  that  if  he  hid  the  truth 
within  himself  his  conscience  would  burn  inside  as  hell  fire. 
For  a  moment  he  lifted  his  soul  to  God  to  find  strength  to 
bear  his  testimony  faithfully  to  the  truth  of  the  Gospel. 
He  was  surprised  to  find  that  his  words  were  quietly  re- 
ceived without  opposition,  and  after  a  while  he  mustered 
courage  to  ask  shelter  for  the  night.  One  of  the  men  said, 
"  I  shall  go  home  presently;  you  come  with  me  and  I  will 
give  you  lodging  for  the  night." 

The  man  gave  him  supper,  a  good  warm  room,  and 
next  morning  a  good  breakfast.  On  leaving,  the  colporter 
thanked  him  for  his  kind  hospitality.  "Well,"  said  the 
man,  "  I  must  tell  you  why  I  have  treated  you  so.  It  is  a 
strange  thing,  but  two  weeks  ago  I  was  suddenly  awaked 
at  two  o'clock  in  the  night  by  a  striking  dream.  I  dreamed 
that  a  man  knocked  at  my  door,  and  on  it  being  opened  to 
him  he  came  in,  drew  a  small  book  from  a  pocket,  and  as 
he  opened  that  book  the  house  was  filled  with  light.  It 
struck  me  so  much  that  I  could  not  sleep  the  rest  of  the 
night.  When  I  saw  you  come  in  the  other  house  I  recog- 
nized you  as  the  man  I  had  seen  in  my  dream,  and,  of 
course,  I  felt  like  befriending  you  whilst  I  wish  to  know 
more  of  you."  .  .  .  This  dear  and  devoted  servant  of 
God  was  the  instrument,  in  God's  hands,  to  bring  the  light 
and  salvation  set  forth  in  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  to 
hundreds  oi  Canadian  firesides. 

Mr.   Patenaude     finally  went     to     Massachusetts, 


120  MADAME   FELLER. 

where  he  did  a  good  work  among  the  French,  and 
in  which  State  he  died ;  perhaps  in  Lowell.  He  died 
as  he  had  lived,  an  earnest  Christian.  He  went  to 
the  States  in  order  to  obtain  good  facilities  for  edu- 
cating his  large  family,  and  that  his  children  might 
have  opportunity  to  find  employment  when  qualified. 
One  of  his  sons  is  a  physician  in  Lowell. 

Another  distinguished  colporter,  also  among  the 
crowned,  was  Joseph  Gendreau.  His  noble  and  tragic 
career  proved  to  be  for  the  furtherance  of  the  Gospel 
in  a  special  way.  He  had  long  been  laboring  for  the 
good  of  souls  in  a  conversational  and  even  contro- 
versial manner  before  he  was  appointed  a  colporter. 
Doubtless  his  aptness  to  teach  in  a  private  way  was 
discovered  by  the  appointing  powers,  while  he  him- 
self may  have  been  encouraged  by  his  successes  to 
undertake  that  more  constant  and  laborious  service. 
His  experience  had  been  sufficient  to  qualify  him  to 
meet  opposers  and  to  do  so  in  a  proper  spirit. 

Rev.  A.  L.  Therrien  says  of  him  that  he  was  a 
convert  from  Romanism,  and  remarks :  "In  leaving 
the  Church  of  Rome  he  experienced  many  persecu- 
tions. His  interest  in  the  souls  of  his  former  co- 
religionists led  him  to  sacrifice  time,  sleep,  strength 
and  money,  to  give  them  the  light  he  had  received. 
It  was  through  his  influence  that  the  famous  discus- 
sion with  the  priest  of  St.  Paul,  of  Abbotsford,  was 
held,  resulting  in  several  Roman  Catholics  leaving 
their  church."  After  twenty-five  years  as  colporter 
of  Grande  Ligne,  his  plans  led  him  to  spend  several 
months  in  labor  at  Sorel,  a  city  about  forty-five  miles 
east  of  Montreal,  on  the  St.  Lawrence,  at  the  mouth 


A   MEMORIAL.  121 

of  the  Richelieu.  Here  occurred  the  fatal  circum- 
stance of  his  life.  The  facts  were  fully  set  forth  by 
the  Montreal  Witness,  and  by  Rev.  Dr.  H.  L-  More- 
house,  who  visited  the  place  at  the  time  of  the  oc- 
currence. The  reader  is  best  assured  of  the  truth 
in  the  case  by  quotations  from  these  sources.  Dr. 
Morehouse  says : 

"  Mr.  Gendreau  was  falsely  accused  of  disturbing 
the  public  peace  and  violating  a  city  by-law  framed  to 
drive  the  Salvation  Army  out  of  the  place.  Though 
he  was  ably  defended,  the  bigoted  Roman  Catholic 
Recorder  held  that  he  was  the  occasion  of  the  trou- 
ble, adjudged  him  guilty,  imposing  a  fine  with  costs 
amounting  to  $20,  or  thirty  days  in  jail.  An  appeal 
was  taken.  Pending  this,  on  Monday  afternoon,  Sep- 
tember 3,  just  before  my  arrival  in  Sorel,  he  was  ar- 
rested on  some  technicality  and  thrown  into  prison, 
where,  with  Bro.  Cote  (pastor  in  Sorel)  I  visited  him 
Tuesday  forenoon ;  and  on  the  second  visit,  having 
got  the  services  of  a  photographer  and  the  consent 
of  the  jailer,  obtained  a  photograph  of  Gendreau 
standing  by  the  grated  door  of  his  cell.  The  place 
is  one  of  the  darkest,  most  bigoted  in  the  Province. 
There  are  barely  thirty  English-speaking  families  in  a 
French  Catholic  population  of  seven  thousand.  The 
priest  is  supreme.  The  Chief  of  Police  told  Brother 
Cote,  when  there  was  talk  of  mobbing  his  residence, 
that  in  case  it  occurred  he  could  do  nothing  to  pro- 
tect him,  saying, '  If  I  should  attempt  to  protect  you, 
such  is  the  influence  of  the  priest,  I  would  at  once  lose 
my  position  and  would  be  compelled  to  go  to  the 
States.' 


122  MADAME   FELLER. 

"  Such  is  Roman  Catholicism  where  it  is  regnant 
I  met  two  of  the  leading  lawyers  of  the  city,  one  an 
Englishman,  the  other  French,  who  are  acting  in  be- 
half of  Mr.  Gendreau,  though  apprehensive  of  loss  of 
patronage  in  so  doing.  The  French  lawyer,  a  loyal 
Catholic,  said  concerning  the  outrage,  '  I  am  ashamed 
of  my  nationality,  ashamed  of  the  clergy.'  Others  feel 
the  same  way  but  do  not  dare  to  say  so.  Nobody  for 
a  moment  supposes  that  a  Roman  Catholic  could  have 
been  convicted  in  Sorel  for  doing  what  Bro.  Gendreau 
did.  When  I  told  Gendreau  to  be  of  good  cheer,  that 
the  Lord  would  overrule  this  to  the  advancement  of 
His  cause  in  Sorel,  and  that  his  imprisonment  would 
accomplish  more  than  a  year's  ordinary  labor,  for  all 
which  he  should  sing  songs  in  the  night,  as  Paul  and 
Silas  did,  he  answered,  as  tears  rilled  his  eyes  and  ours, 
'  That  is  what  I  did  last  night — a  sleepless  night.'  " 

Dr.  Morehouse,  who  published  the  above  in  the 
Home  Mission  Monthly,  contributed  the  following  to 
the  Montreal  Witness,  "a.  stanch  and  fearless  Protest- 
ant paper,  that  had  spread  the  facts  before  the  country 
and  denounced  the  travesty  on  justice "  : 

To  the.  Editor  of  the  Witness : 

SIR:  As  a  Field  Secretary  of  the  American  Baptist 
Home  Mission  Society,  of  New  York  City,  after  a  survey 
of  our  French  Missions  in  New  England  I  visited  the  Prov- 
ince of  Quebec,  and  on  Monday,  the  fifth  of  September, 
arrived  in  Sorel  to  inquire  about  the  arrest  of  Mr.  Gen- 
dreau, of  which  I  had  learned  through  the  Witness.  Judge 
of  my  amazement  when,  on  my  arrival,  Monday  evening, 
I  was  told  he  was  in  prison,  put  there  by  the  authorities  of 
Sorel  on  some  technical  point  in  connection  with  this  case 


A   MEMORIAL.  123 

— "  falsely  imprisoned,"  as  a  leading  lawyer  of  the  place 
believed.  Tuesday  morning,  with  the  Rev.  Mr.  Cote,  I 
called  on  Mr.  Gendreau  in  jail,  in  the  ordinary  felon's  cell, 
his  hard  bed,  straw  pillow  and  scanty  covering  presenting 
a  most  dismal  picture.  He  had  slept  none  during  the 
night.  Leaving  the  prison  I  decided  that  a  photograph 
should  be  procured  of  him  in  prison.  In  this  I  succeeded. 
It  is  an  impressive  object  lesson.  My  blood  boiled  with 
indignation  at  such  treatment  of  a  servant  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  My  thoughts  fell  into  rhythmical  form  as 
follows  : 

THE  SHAME  OF  SOREL. 

A  horrible  thing  'neath  the  sun  has  been  done — 
English  justice  perverted !    A  victory  won 
By  the  cohorts  of  wrong !    The  forces  of  hell 
Have  covered  with  shame  the  name  of  Sorel. 

I  have  seen  it — the  shame !     I  have  seen  in  his  cell, 
In  the  gloomy,  cold  jail  in  the  city  Sorel, 
A  servant  of  Christ  snatched  away  from  his  home 
Through  the  power,  indirectly,  of  prelates  of  Rome. 

And  here,  on  the  square,  I  have  stood  on  the  spot 

Where  the  crime  was  committed.    "The  crime,  sir,  was  what?" 

For  telling  God's  truth  in  a  mild,  peaceful  way, 

To  some  men  of  Sorel  who  were  passing  that  day. 

Most  falsely  accused !     Most  shamefully  tried, 
Convicted,  imprisoned,  with  the  right  on  his  side ! 
O  Canada  free  !     There's  a  stain  on  thy  sod, 
An  egregious  wrong  that  cries  out  unto  God. 

True  men  of  Sorel !     Arise  in  your  might, 
Blot  out  the  disgrace,  this  outrage  on  right ; 
For  wrong,  now  exultant,  ring  out  the  death  knell, 
Or  the  land  will  proclaim  the  shame  of  Sorel. 

Mr.  Therrien,  a  most  candid  and  competent  observ- 


124  MADAME   FELLER. 

er  says,  further,  that  Mr.  Gendreau  had  become  an 
expert  in  answering  the  arguments  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  controversialists  long  before  he  entered  the 
work  as  a  colporter ;  "and  yet  his  speech. was  always 
kind,  considerate,  conciliatory,  and  his  spirit  genial  and 
sympathetic.  Unassuming  and  humble  of  nature,  he 
had  a  special  aversion  for  ostentatious  profession  of 
piety  and  for  bombastic  preaching;  "  qualities  that  in 
men  of  his  class,  debaters,  are  not  always  apparent, 
but  which  seem  to  have  been  characteristic  of  those 
who  came  out  of  the  haughty  church  of  Rome,  with 
its  millinery  and  mummeries,  and  accepted  the  robe  of 
Christ's  righteousness.  Mr.  Therrien,  in  the  Canadian 
Baptist,  of  September  17,  1896,  points  to  the  closing  of 
this  useful  life  ;  a  sad  ending  in  which  Mrs.  Gendreau 
was  involved,  the  innocent  with  the  innocent,  yet  tri- 
umphant in  all  respects : 

His  arrest  in  Sorel  for  having  quietly  talked  on  the 
subject  of  religion  in  the  public  park,  his  consequent  im- 
prisonment, and  his  final  acquittal  by  Judge  Ouimette,  be- 
fore whom  the  case  was  tried  on  appeal,  are  things  still 
fresh  in  our  memories.  On  this  occasion  the  cause  of  free 
speech  and  religious  liberty,  which  had  received  so  igno- 
minious a  blow  at  his  first  trial,  received  the  strongest  and 
noblest  vindication  it  ever  had  in  Quebec,  through  the  elo- 
quent, powerful,  scathing  and  righteous  judgment  rendered 
by  Judge  Ouimette.  Sorel  will  not  soon  forget  the  lesson; 
and  our  active  and  devoted,  and  fearless  missionary,  Rev. 
Iy.  O.  P.  Cote,  is  today  reaping  the  benefit  of  this  victory, 
as  well  as  of  his  own  heroic  resistance  to  the  numerous 
attempts  made  by  the  fanaticism  of  the  city  to  drive  him 
out  of  its  limits.  Bro.  Gendreau's  imprisonment  hastened 
his  death  and  that  of  his  wife,  but  it  also  hastened  the 


JOSEPH   GENDREAU. 


A    MEMORIAL.  125 

coming  of  the  day  when  freedom  and  truth  will  be  pro- 
claimed effectively  throughout  the  land.  Let  his  name, 
though  humble,  be  held  in  sacred  remembrance. 

Mr.  Gendreau  was  thirty-five  years  a  Protestant,  five 
years  a  colporter  for  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society, 
and  ten  years  for  Grande  I,igne. 

A  further  glance  at  Sorel  affairs  is  obtained  through 
the  present  pastor,  Rev.  L,.  O.  F.  Cote.  He  says : 

The  writer  took  up  the  work  May  i,  1893.  Since  that 
time  forty  converts  from  Romanism  have  been  buried  with 
Christ  by  baptism,  a  church  of  New  Testament  order  estab- 
lished, thousands  of  tracts  distributed,  scores  of  Bibles, 
Testaments,  and  Gospels  loaned,  given  away,  or  sold. 
Hundreds  of  Romanists  have  heard  the  Gospel,  and  a 
church  building  erected. 

All  this,  however,  was  not  accomplished  without  priestly 
or  inquisitorial  persecution.  We  well  remember  how  the 
priest  once  daringly  spoke  to  his  people  against  us,  saying, 
"The  presence  of  these  people  in  the  city  is  a  scourge 
worse  than  caterpillars,  and  it  is  necessary  to  have  imme- 
diate recourse  to  the  most  energetic  means  to  rid  ourselves 
of  them.  Let  all  those  who  have  heart  and  energy  give 
themselves  to  this  end." 

The  Chief  of  Police  came  to  my  home  to  inform  me  that 
"  the  clergy  had  determined  to  get  rid  of  me  and  mine  and, 
therefore,  I  was  liable  to  get  killed  at  any  moment."  He 
then  added,  "You  must  give  up  your  work  at  once."  I 
simply  said,  "  I  have  great  forces  behind  me — God  and  the 
sword  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the  Word  of  God — and  if  need 
be  thousands  of  strong  Protestant  friends  who  are  ready  to 
die  if  need  be  in  the  defense  of  the  truth  and  those  who 
proclaim  it.  It  behooves  you  to  keep  quiet."  He  dropped 
his  head,  bowed  respectfully  to  me,  and  silently  walked 


126  MADAME   FELLER. 

away.  A  few  days  later  he  came  back  accompanied  by  the 
mayor  and  said,  "Anonymous  letters  have  come  to  us  and 
to  the  priest  informing  us  that  certain  ill-natured  Catholics 
intend  to  mob  you  and  burn  your  house.  We  have  come 
to  warn  you  that,  in  case  of  a  tumult,  we  could  not  and 
would  not  protect  you  nor  yours.  Six  hours  are  given  you 
in  which  to  leave  the  city."  I  replied,  "  Thanks,  gentle- 
men !  but  God  does  not  tell  me  to  leave  Sorel  at  once,  like 
a  contemptible  coward.  He  says,  '  Preach  the  Gospel  to 
every  creature.'  I  shall  stop  here  as  long  as  God  wants  me 
to  do  so."  They  looked  at  each  other  and  smiled,  the  may- 
or saying,  "  We  can't  scare  him." 

Stones  have  been  thrown  through  our  windows,  work 
denied  to  our  converts,  and  our  late  Bro.  Gendreau  arrested 
and  thrown  into  jail  for  saying  "  Jesus  only  can  save  sinful 
men,"  but  thanks  be  to  Jesus,  He  gives  to  us  the  same 
power  He  gave  to  the  apostles,  "  to  tread  on  serpents  and 
scorpions,  and  over  all  the  power  of  the  enemy."  These 
are  some  of  our  difficulties,  but  souls  have  been  reached, 
souls  are  being  reached,  and  souls  will  yet  be  reached  in 
Sorel. 

Our  great  need  is  employment  for  our  converts.  L,et  us 
have  a  factory  or  two,  or  organize  a  farming  colony  for  our 
French  converts  in  some  promising  spot  in  this  broad  land. 

Boycotting  is  one  of  the  greatest  difficulties  with 
which  the  missions  are  called  to  contend.  The  con- 
verts are  compelled  to  give  up  their  situations  and 
roam  about  for  employment ;  many  of  them  finally 
leaving  for  places  where  Romanism  does  not  destroy 
both  body  and  soul  according  to  its  own  depraved 
will,  starving  families  and  tyrannizing  over  the  dear- 
est rights  of  man.  Pastor  Cote  makes  himself  felt. 
Catholics  both  fear  and  respect  him,  and  attend  the 


A   MEMORIAL.  127 

services  at  all  times,  more  especially  in  the  winter. 
When,  the  past  year,  five  converts  were  baptized, 
more  than  two  hundred  Romanists  witnessed  the 
ordinance,  with  respect. 

With  the  close  of  the  twenty  years  it  seems  fit  to 
look  further  at  the  fruits  of  this  planting  on  Cana- 
dian soil.  Had  the  missionaries  reached  the  "  Three 
Taverns  "  ?  Could  they  then  have  thanked  God  and 
taken  courage?  And  what  encouragement  were  the 
friends  of  the  cause  entitled  to  derive  from  the  prog- 
ress made  ?  Dr.  Cramp  says  : 

"  The  blessing  of  God  accompanied  the  sowing 
of  the  Gospel  seed,  and  it  sprang  up  and  bore  fruit. 
Earnest  inquiry  after  truth  was  aroused.  The  Scrip- 
tures were  read  and  carefully  searched,  with  fervent 
prayer  for  enlightenment  and  grace.  The  regener- 
ating power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  was  felt  in  the  hearts 
of  many  of  the  inquirers.  They  publicly  professed 
Christ  and  associated  themselves  in  Christian  church- 
es, according  to  the  pattern  of  the  New  Testament. 
Several  hundreds  of  persons  gave  evidence  of  genuine 
conversion.  Churches  were  founded  at  Grande  L/igne, 
St.  Pie,  Salem  and  St.  Marie.  Many  of  the  members 
of  these  churches  had  emigrated  to  the  United  States, 
or  removed  to  Canada  West ;  many  had  died  in  the 
faith,  rejoicing  in  the  finished  work  of  the  Savior,  but 
a  goodly  number  remained.  The  work  of  God  was 
carried  on  by  ministers,  colporters  and  teachers,  six- 
teen in  number,  at  fifteen  stations,  where  six  or  seven 
hundred  listened  every  day  to  the  Gospel  Message, 
and  that  message  was  taken  to  the  houses  of  thou- 
sands more,  who  were  weekly  visited  by  the  servants 


128  MADAME 

of  the  Lord.  There  were  schools  at  the  stations,  fur- 
nishing useful  instruction  to  the  children.  General 
knowledge  was  widely  diffused,  and  its  civilizing,  im- 
proving influences  gratefully  acknowledged.  The 
publication  of  the  Semeur  Canadien  was  a  powerful 
auxiliary  in  these  efforts.  All  this  was  the  result  of 
twenty  years  of  Christian  labor,  commenced  by  two 
persons,  at  first  unknown  and  unbefriended "- —  a 
marvel  in  Christian  missions. 


FRENCH  BAPTIST  CHURCH, 
Montreal. 


FRENCH   BAPTIST  CHURCH, 
Sorel. 


A   MEMORIAL.  129 


X. 


anb  g*un*  —  MADAME  FELLER 

IN  DECLINE;  GOES  SOUTH;  GRANDE 
LIGNE  INCORPORATED;  HEALTH 
GIVES  WAY;  GOES  TO  SWITZERLAND; 
RETURNS  AND  RESUMES  DUTY;  NOT- 
ABLE CONVERSION  AND  DEATH  OF 
MRS.  COTE. 

IT  was  time  to  expect  debility  in  those  who  had  done 
so  much  amid  dire  distresses  inflicted  by  opponents. 
The  two  who  constituted  the  valiant  vanguard  had 
been  sustained  in  health  beyond  the  usual  experience 
of  missionaries  to  foreign  lands  —  lands  so  unlike  their 
own  in  climate  and  social  conditions.  Mr.  Roussy's 
health  was  still  firm,  but  Madame  Feller's  gave  signs 
of  decline,  and  her  physicians  advised  her  to  flee  the 
rigorous  northern  climate  and  spend  the  cold  months 
in  the  extreme  south.  Accordingly  she  proceeded  to 
St.  Augustine,  Florida,  and  there  passed  the  Winter  of 

1854-55- 

While  in  Florida  in  enforced  rest  of  the  physical 
faculties,  her  mind  continued  with  the  disciples  of  her 
adopted  country,  and  was  active  and  fertile  in  expedi- 
ents for  their  growth  in  grace  and  in  numbers.  In  spirit 
she  was  with  the  laborers,  praying  for  their  success  in 
winning  souls  and  making  tours  with  them  to  the  sta- 


130  MADAME   FELLER. 

tions.  All  the  belongings  of  the  Mission  House  were 
present  to  her  view,  and  in  her  letters  inquiries  were 
manifold  and  minute:  " Was  the  house  warm ?  Had 
the  mason  stopped  up  all  the  holes  in  the  walls?  Did 
they  burn  much  wood  ?  Was  the  shed  properly  fitted 
up  for  drying  the  clothes  ?  Had  the  cow  calved  ?  Was 
there  milk  enough  for  their  tea?  " 

Early  in  the  Spring  the  temperature  in  St.  Augus- 
tine was  so  warm  as  to  be  oppressive,  and  she  went 
some  distance  northward  to  Augusta,  Georgia,  having 
received  an  invitation  to  visit  a  lady  residing  there. 
The  benefit  obtained  by  her  sojourn  in  Florida  was  a 
subject  of  thanksgiving,  yet  not  less  so  the  ample  and 
pleasant  accommodations  provided  in  the  home  of 
Madame  Rembo  in  Augusta,  where  she  likewise  recu- 
perated considerably.  As  Spring  advanced  the  heat  in 
Georgia  became  oppressive,  and  she  found  it  to  be 
necessary  to  leave  the  South,  and  promptly.  Her  ex- 
pressions of  love  to  the  giver  of  every  good  and  per- 
fect gift  for  what  she  had  received  by  the  change,  and 
many  devout  utterances  as  to  her  states  of  mind  and 
heart  form  no  inconsiderable  part  of  her  extensive  cor- 
respondence with  friends  in  Canada  during  this  pro- 
tracted absence  from  them. 

Leaving  Augusta  April  24,  she  went  to  Philadel- 
phia, taking  a  steamer  at  Savannah  and  arriving  in  the 
Quaker  City,  where  she  had  many  friends,  four  days 
later.  There  she  met  Rev.  L.  Normandeau  and  Mad- 
ame Lafleur,  who  were  engaged  in  collecting  for  the 
Mission.  The  former  was  experienced  in  this  agency 
in  Philadelphia  and  elsewhere.  These  went  on  to 
Washington,  Baltimore  and  other  places,  while  she, 


A    MEMORIAL.  131 

again  an  invalid  through  exposure  on  the  steamer,  re- 
mained at  a  friend's  house  until  sufficiently  recovered 
to  proceed  toward  home.  She  reached  Grande  L4gne 
about  the  middle  of  June,  after  an  absence  of  seven 
months,  and  immediately  resumed  her  duties  there. 
She  found  an  addition  to  the  mission  staff  in  the  per- 
son of  the  Rev.  T.  Riendeau,  a  former  pupil  in  the 
institution  and  subsequently  a  student  in  the  Univer- 
sity of  Rochester,  who  was  ordained  at  Grande  I/igne 
in  February  preceding. 

The  same  year  (1855)  was  signalized  by  the  incor- 
poration of  the  interests  at  Grande  L,igne,  under  the 
name  "The  Evangelical  Society  of  L,a  Grande  Ligne." 
It  was  granted  by  the  Canadian  Parliament,  giving  to 
it  distinction  as  well  as  legal  standing,  and  authorizing 
it  to  possess  property  and  transact  business  for  educa- 
tional purposes.  Such  was  the  position  to  which  the 
little,  despised  mission  band  attained  in  the  first  twenty 
years  of  its  perilous  existence.  Had  it  not  been  that 
the  L,ord  was  on  its  side  when  men  rose  up  against  it, 
then  would  it  have  been  swallowed  up.  There  was 
doubtless  an  undercurrent  of  conviction  growing  that 
it  was  of  the  Lord,  for  had  it  been  of  men  they  would 
have  brought  it  to  naught  by  their  many  hostilities. 
It  must  have  inspired  awe  in  its  enemies,  and  more 
and  more,  as  the  years  passed  and  its  position  strength- 
ened. Some  of  them  hesitated,  lest  haply  they  should 
be  found  fighting  against  God. 

The  heroine  of  this  story  continued  to  be  the  in- 
spiring head  of  this  winning  cause.  The  rise  of  men 
of  valor  did  not  displace  her,  nor  even  obscure  her 
name.  It  was  her  career  to  found  a  cause  in  Canada, 


132  MADAME   FEELER. 

and  no  man  took  from  her  the  honor.  The  modest 
and  meritorious  Roussy  yielded  to  her  supremacy  in 
educational  affairs,  while  he  stood  gallantly  at  her  side 
as  one  willing  to  be  laid  in  the  foundation.  He  had 
ministerial  functions,  and  she  recognized  them  fully ; 
and  with  becoming  loyalty,  as  the  one  standing  nearest 
to  him,  seconded  his  efforts  and  rejoiced  in  his  suc- 
cesses. The  department  of  management,  teaching  and 
preaching  had  interrelations,  and  these  two  pioneers 
held  relations  to  all  of  them  which  were  somewhat 

• 

mutual.  Had  they  been  husband  and  wife,  their 
mutuality  in  these  matters  scarcely  could  have  been 
more  complete. 

But  the  endurance  of  each  was  not  the  same.  And 
while  he  continued  to  be  robust  amid  his  hard  jaunts 
and  strifes  with  evil  men,  she  showed  signs  of  perma- 
nent weakening.  Her  sojourn  in  the  South  did  not 
fully  repair  the  faculties  that  had  been  overtaxed  in 
work  and  care  at  the  Mission,  and  when  she  came  to 
apply  them  anew  she  found  that  they  had  lost  a  part 
of  their  power.  Her  personal  efforts  were  fewer  and 
feebler.  "  She  was  often  confined  entirely  to  the  house, 
and  suffered  much  from  a  cough  that  seemed  to  indi- 
cate lung  disease  or  even  consumptive  tendencies.  The 
symptoms  had  so  serious  an  aspect  in  1859,  that  she 
was  advised  to  join  Mr.  and  Mrs.  L,afleur,  who  were 
recommended  to  visit  Switzerland,  in  consequence  of 
the  sickness  of  the  latter ;  and  thus  try  the  effect  of  a 
change  of  air.  She  went  with  them,  and  enjoyed  a 
year's  relaxation  from  toils  and  cares,  and  the  pleasure 
of  intercourse  with  those  of  her  old  friends  who  still 
survived.  They  had  a  pleasant  passage  over  the  ocean. 


A   MEMORIAL.  133 

Sailing  from  Quebec,  they  reached  Liverpool  on  the 
1 2th  of  October  and  London  on  the  next  day;  on  the 
day  following  arrived  at  Paris,  and  on  the  i8th  reached 
Lausanne. ' ' — (  Cramp.} 

"  What  happiness  it  gave  them  to  see  dear  Lausanne 
again,  with  all  its  family  associations  and  Christian 
friends,  and  in  the  midst  of  such  beautiful  scenery. 
One  may  imagine  Madame  Feller's  joy,  after  a  separa- 
tion of  twenty-four  years,  in  meeting  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Olivier,  and  to  be  able  to  tell  them  of  the  progress  of 
the  work  they  had  begun ;  progress  through  difficulties, 
sufferings  and  privations  at  times,  and  still  most  en- 
couraging."— (Lafletir.} 

"  The  Christians  at  Lausanne  were  very  desirous  of 
retaining  Madame  Feller  there  that  she  might  finish 
her  pilgrimage  in  her  native  place,  among  those  who 
loved  her ;  but  she  gave  them  to  understand  that  her 
heart  was  in  Canada.  '  It  is  almost  three  months,'  she 
observed  in  one  of  her  letters,  '  since  I  left  you.  It  is 
a  long  time — a  very  long  time.  I  am  very  happy  here. 
I  am  resting.  But  my  thoughts  are  with  you.  I  pray 
with  you.  I  go  from  station  to  station.  My  heart  lin- 
gers here  and  there,  to  commune  with  each  one  of  our 
dear  missionaries  and  the  dear  friends  around  them. 
I  feel  that  I  have  left  a  home  and  a  large  family,  and 
that  I  am  thoroughly  Canadian.'  " — {Cramp.} 

It  is  easy  to  believe  that  this  strong  expression  of 
attachment  to  her  work  was  sincere  ;  and  that  both  she 
and  Mr.  Lafleur  carried  the  interests  of  Grande  Ligne 
in  their  hearts  wherever  they  visited.  They  were  at 
Geneva,  and  there  Mr.  Lafleur  lectured  on  behalf  of 
the  Mission.  She  observed  the  transgressions  of  the 


134  MADAME 

people,  and  was  grieved  that  they  had  so  far  fallen 
away  from  the  standards  of  morality  set  by  John  Calvin 
as  to  keep  the  shops  open  on  the  Lord's  Day,  maintain 
military  exercises  and  neglect  the  places  of  worship. 
In  the  beginning  of  June  she  was  taken  to  a  country 
residence,  a  short  distance  from  Geneva,  for  recupera- 
tion, after  a  very  sick  spell  experienced  just  previously. 
Mr.  Lafleur,  leaving  the  ladies  in  Switzerland,  went  to 
Great  Britain  on  a  collecting  tour  for  the  Mission. 
Madame  Feller,  leaving  Lausanne  in  August,  journeyed 
homeward,  sailing  from  Liverpool  for  New  York  Sep- 
tember 6.  She  was  accompanied  by  Miss  Cuendet,  an 
accomplished  Swiss  lady,  interested  in  missions,  who 
gave  several  years  to  teaching  in  the  Feller  Institute 
at  Longueuil,  which  was  as  long  as  her  health  justified. 
But  the  buoyancy  that  attended  her  home-coming  was 
greatly  checked  on  reaching  New  York  on  account  of 
business  failures  and  depression  there,  hindering  the 
flow  of  benevolence.  It  was  only  through  the  devot- 
edness  of  the  Ladies'  Associations  that  she  was  enabled 
to  obtain  a  few  hundred  dollars  for  the  pressing  needs 
of  the  Mission. 

Once  more  settled  at  Grande  Ligne,  "  she  immedi- 
ately reentered  on  her  usual  course  of  duty,  and  became 
again  the  presiding  spirit  of  the  Mission  House,  mani- 
festing the  same  tenderness  of  affection  and  the  same 
judgment  as  before.  But  there  were  unmistakable 
symptoms  of  declining  energy.  She  suffered  a  para- 
lytic seizure  in  1865,  which  affected  her  physical  sys- 
tem so  powerfully  as  to  excite  the  most  painful  appre- 
hensions concerning  her  recovery.  Her  life  was  spared 
for  that  time,  but  it  was  thenceforth  marked  by  great 


A    MEMORIAL.  135 

feebleness.  Yet  her  mental  vigor  was  remarkably  pre- 
served. '  It  is  delightful,'  said  a  visitor,  '  to  listen  to 
her  pithy,  fervent,  wise  sayings,  expressed  in  her  own 
peculiar  English,  and  always  fitly  spoken.  And  it  is 
almost  amusing  to  observe  how  everything,  down  to 
the  minutest  details,  is  placed  before  her  for  advice  or 
direction.  She  is  the  mother  of  the  establishment,  and 
her  children  are  distinguished  by  affectionate  obedience 
and  devoted  deference  to  her  will.'  " — (Cramp.} 

Afflictions  and  losses  common  in  missions  were 
experienced  throughout  the  field  of  Grande  L,igne,  yet 
in  them  all  the  faithful  heroes  of  the  Cross  proved  their 
loyalty,  looking  steadfastly  unto  the  end  of  their  trials 
—  the  conquest  of  all  things  to  Christ.  They  ever 
seemed  to  entertain  the  utmost  confidence  in  the 
truths  they  taught;  were  not  shaken  by  opposition, 
nor  at  any  time  driven  from  their  stronghold.  Assaults 
served  to  show  their  strength,  revealing  no  weakness 
of  purpose  or  of  plan,  nor  any  lack  of  Divine  provision 
for  their  safety.  "A  mighty  fortress  is  our  God"  must 
have  been  their  consolation.  They  did  not  foment 
quarrels,  yet  such  was  the  nature  of  their  work  that 
turmoils  were  inevitable.  Their  position,  like  that  of 
the  Master,  was  one  of  campaigning  in  an  enemy's 
country,  and  required  not  a  compromise  with  a  false 
religion,  but  its  extermination  and  the  planting  of  the 
true,  the  saving  one  in  its  stead.  Hence  their  move- 
ments were  resisted,  and  to  make  them  desist  they 
were  attacked  in  person  and  in  their  homes,  robbed 
and  burned  out ;  were  treated  as  if  they  had  no  right 
to  life,  liberty  or  possessions. 

This  opposition  gave  evidence  of  the  importance 


136  MADAME;  FEU*ER. 

they  had  from  the  beginning  among  social  and  relig- 
ious forces.  As  they  made  headway,  they  stirred  up 
jealousy,  and  the  special  forms  that  this  jealousy  as- 
sumed showed  that  they  were  regarded  as  successful. 
They  had  occasion  to  "rejoice  in  tribulations  also," 
knowing  that  these  testified  to  the  triumphs  of  the 
Gospel  as  introduced  by  themselves.  A  striking  in- 
stance is  given  in  the  conversion  of  Mrs.  Cote,  as  re- 
lated by  Mr.  Roussy : 

She,  the  wife  of  Rev.  C.  H.  O.  Cote,  was  brought  up  in 
the  Papacy,  which  she  followed  with  zeal.  "When  her  hus- 
band talked  to  her  of  the  errors  of  their  religion,  and  by 
his  arguments  had  begun  to  excite  some  doubts,  she  ac- 
cused herself  of  those  incipient  doubts  as  of  a  mortal  sin, 
and  repeated  several  acts  of  faith  to  prevent  herself  from 
doubting;  for  she  had  been  thoroughly  taught  that  a 
Roman  Catholic- is  not  permitted  to  examine  for  himself, 
nor  to  believe  otherwise  than  as  his  confessor  believes. 
She  was  greatly  afflicted  when  Mr.  Cote  abjured  the  Papacy, 
and  persuaded  as  she  was  that  he  was  deceived,  she  per- 
formed religious  services  for  both,  in  the  hope  that  the  ex- 
cess of  her  righteousness  might  be  imputed  to  her  husband. 

Although  for  herself  she  held  the  church  at  Swanton 
in  contempt,  she  was  satisfied  that  her  husband  should 
attend  its  meetings  for  prayer,  so  much  did  she  desire  to 
see  him  delivered  from  his  anguish  and  profess  some  relig- 
ion. She  even  urged  him  to  do  it,  preferring  greatly  his 
being  a  Protestant  to  his  being  an  infidel.  She  was  absent 
when  he  was  converted.  He  announced  to  her  his  change 
by  a  letter,  entreating  her  to  seek  the  same  grace  for  her- 
self, and  to  read  a  Bible  which  he  sent  her.  The  letter  was 
full  of  ardent,  even  pathetic  expostulation.  She  laughed  at 
his  exhortations,  saying  :  "  The  poor  Doctor  is  becoming 


A   MEMORIAL.  137 

crazy;  he  will  follow  his  religion  and  I  mine."  However, 
her  love  to  him  induced  her  to  commence  reading  the 
Bible,  although  then  it  was  to  her  perfectly  uninteresting. 
In  these  circumstances  she  came  to  visit  some  very  inti- 
mate connexions  at  Grande  Ligne.  They  were  exceedingly 
enraged  by  the  Doctor's  conversion,  vented  their  spite 
against  us  and  ridiculed  our  worship,  and  forged  the  gross- 
est lies  against  us  to  prejudice  Mrs.  Cote.  But  she  consid- 
ered it  unjust  to  form  her  judgment  on  ex  parte  evidence. 
Without  the  knowledge  of  her  relations,  she  came  one 
evening  to  our  meeting ;  it  was  the  first  evangelical  wor- 
ship she  had  ever  witnessed ;  everything  was  blessed  to 
her — the  prayers,  the  hymns,  the  reading  of  the  Bible,  and 
the  meditations  on  it  penetrated  her  heart.  She  went 
away,  still  saying,  "  I'll  never  change  my  religion,"  al- 
though she  could  not  help  reflecting  on  these  new  things. 
Her  friends,  enraged  that  she  had  been  at  our  meeting,  and 
that  she  approved  of  everything  she  had  heard,  drove  her 
froth  their  house  the  next  morning.  This  base  conduct 
deeply  afflicted  her,  and  disposed  her  to  examine  these 
things  more  attentively. 

In  taking  her  back  to  her  husband,  and  for  two  days 
that  I  passed  with  her,  I  was  continually  answering  her 
questions.  She  was  greatly  struck  with  the  fact  that  I 
replied  to  everything  from  the  Bible.  But  that  which  sur- 
prised her  still  more  was  her  husband's  change.  She  had 
left  him  agitated  and  unhappy,  and  she  found  him  so  dif- 
ferent, enjoying  the  peace  and  the  love  of  his  God,  that  she 
no  longer  doubted  that  the  religion  which  made  him  so 
happy  was  good  ;  and  she  resolved  to  use  every  means  to 
enlighten  herself.  In  reading  the  Bible  with  this  good 
intention,  Mrs.  Cote  quickly  recognized  the  falsehood  of 
Papacy,  and  resolved  to  abandon  it.  She  had  been  very 
sincere  in  the  errors  which  she  had  believed  and  practiced 
with  so  much  zeal  ;  she  was  equally  so  in  her  search  after 


138  MADAME    FELLER. 

the  truth  that  she  has  now  received  and  embraced  with  all 
her  heart.  As  soon  as  she  understood  that  she  must  strive 
to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate,  she  came  to  us,  and  with  the 
simplicity  of  a  child,  asked  us  to  instruct  her,  for  she  had 
determined  to  turn ^un to  the  Lord.  He  did  not  leave  her 
to  wait  long,  and,  in  His  faithfulness,  gave  her  what  she 
asked. 

After  having  passed  some  time  with  us,  Mrs.  Cote  re- 
turned, full  of  joy,  to  join  the  labors  of  her  husband,  who 
was  growing  more  firm  in  the  purpose  of  consecrating  the 
rest  of  his  life  to  the  advancement  of  the  Kingdom  of  God 
among  his  people.  He  has  always  suffered  in  view  of  their 
degradation,  but  much  more  since  he  has  himself  experi- 
enced the  benefits  of  the  Gospel. 

It  was  her  privilege  to  spend  nine  happy  years  in 
fruitful  service  with  her  husband,  as  sorrowing  over 
the  dreadful  Delusions  of  Romanism  yet  always  rejoic- 
ing to  commend  the  way  of  escape  from  them.  Then 
her  strong  staff  was  taken  away,  and  in  the  dark  and 
difficult  ways  of  widowhood  she  found  her  Lord  a  very 
present  help.  What  a  satisfaction  that  she  had  accepted 
Him  ere  this  trial  came !  Yet  the  separation  from  her 
husband  was  not  long.  It  was  less  than  a  year.  He 
had  the  forethought  to  provide  for  his  family  by  means 
of  life  insurance,  and  taking  this  provision  she  estab- 
lished her  home  at  Grand  I/igne ;  the  most  suitable 
place  for  the  nurture  and  education  of  her  children. 
"  But  before  the  house  she  was  building  was  ready  to 
receive  her,  she  had  gone  to  that  which  is  not  made 
with  hands." 

"From  the  commencement  of  her  sickness,"  wrote 
Madame  Feller,  "  she  had  no  hope  of  recovery,  and 
her  maternal  heart  felt  anguish  for  a  moment  at  the 


A    MEMORIAL.  139 

thought  of  leaving  her  children.  But  very  soon  she 
humbled  herself  for  this  want  of  confidence,  and  with 
a  simple  and  firm  faith  confided  them  to  the  care  of 
her  Heavenly  Father,  leaving  them  to  the  mission- 
ary family,  saying,  '  I  know  my  children  are  your  chil- 
dren.' ....  I  shall  never  forget  the  blessed 
moment  when  her  heart  understood  the  way  of  sal- 
vation and  received  the  grace  of  God.  Mr.  Roussy 
was  expounding  to  her  the  third  chapter  of  the  Gos- 
pel of  John  when  she  suddenly  exclaimed,  'What  unc- 
tion comes  upon  me !  My  soul  is  filled  with  it ;  my 
body  is  impressed  by  it !'  " 

Dr.  Cote  died  in  1850,  in  his  forty-second  year; 
Mrs.  Cote  in  1851,  aged  forty- four.  He  had  expressed 
a  desire  to  be  buried  at  Grande  Ligne,  to  which  he 
was  much  indebted  for  light  to  his  darkened  soul, 
through  Mr.  Roussy ;  and  thither  his  remains  were 
borne  from  Hinesburg,  Vermont,  where  he  had  died. 
She  passed  away  at  Grande  L,igne.  The  remains  of 
both  were  interred  in  the  Mission  burial  ground  there, 
and  their  children  placed  a  stone  at  the  head  of  each 
grave.  One  bears  the  inscription,  "  Notre  Pere  "  (Our 
father);  the  other,  "Notre  Mere"  (Our  mother). 


140  MADAME   FEL,L,ER. 


XL 


HER  ARENA; 
THE  GOOD  FIGHT;  CLOSING  WRES- 
TLE; THE  FUNERAL;  THE  CEME- 
TERY; MADAME  LAFLEUR. 


^I\HE  time  came  for  Madame  Feller  to  lay  her 
-*-  armor  by.  More  than  thirty  years  had  been 
given  to  the  campaign  in  Canada  ;  and  it  was  not  for 
recovery,  but  for  first  possession  of  the  land  for  King 
Immanuel.  That  which  had  been  called  by  his  name 
was  but  a  solemn  mockery  of  Christianity,  and  she 
felt  called,  with  her  associates,  to  open  the  country 
that  the  King  of  Glory  might  enter  in.  As  he  was 
to  have  "  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for  His 
possession,"  He  was  to  possess  Canada  and  fill  it  with 
His  saints.  The  country  was  occupied  with  idolaters, 
who  must  be  turned  from  their  dumb  idols  to  serve  the 
living  God.  Yet  these  inhabitants  were  of  her  own 
tongue,  and  enlisted  her  heart's  desire  that  they  might 
be  saved.  Their  ancestors  had  gone  forward  and  en- 
tered the  country,  three  hundred  years  before  her  time, 
and  held  it  as  a  religious  domain.  Dr.  H.  L,.  More- 
house  says  : 

When  Jacques  Cartier  landed  at  Tadousac,  at  the  junc- 
tion of  the  St.  Lawrence  and  the  Saguenay,  in  1534,  he 
planted  a  cross  to  which  was  attached  a  shield  bearing  the 


A   MEMORIAL.  141 

French  royal  coat-of-arms.  It  was  for  Rome  first,  and  for 
France  for  the  sake  of  Rome.  A  small  church,  over  two 
hundred  years  old — the  second  oldest  in  America — stands 
on  the  site  of  the  original  house  that  was  destroyed  by  fire. 
The  most  prized  articles  within  it  appear  to  be  in  a  small 
glass  case  near  the  altar.  The  conspicuous  thing  therein 
is  a  doll  about  a  foot  long,  presented,  in  1747,  by  the  King 
of  France,  and  described  as  "  The  infant  Jesus !  "  This  I 
beheld. 

With  a  kind  heart  and  a  conciliatory  disposition, 
and  with  but  one  associate,  she  undertook  the  prodi- 
gious task  of  pioneer  of  a  spiritual  religion.  She  made 
headway  from  the  beginning,  even  amid  defeats,  and 
in  view  of  the  severity  of  the  toil  and  the  trying  nature 
of  the  encounter  with  Romanism,  the  success  was  phe- 
nomenal. Yet  such  conquests  as  were  won  cost  much  ; 
they  tax  the  body  and  spirit,  especially  of  woman, 
almost  beyond  endurance. 

So,  after  one  third  of  a  century  occupied  in  dili- 
gently seeking  admission  for  the  light  of  Gospel  truth 
and  contending  for  its  supremacy  above  the  teachings 
of  the  clergy,  she  was  worn  down  completely,  more 
than  she  knew.  Her  heart  and  soul  called  for  rest — 
the  rest  that  remaineth  for  the  people  of  God.  She 
had  occasion  for  special  reflection  as  to  her  possible 
departure,  but  also  as  to  the  condition  and  prospects  of 
the  Mission.  The  latter  pressed  upon  her  mind  most, 
as  being  a  present  reality  in  which  the  interests  of  very 
many  were  involved. 

It  was  the  year  1867.  The  funds  were  so  low  and 
the  embarrassments  so  distressing  it  was  judged  pru- 
dent not  to  open  the  school  at  Grande  Ligne.  This 


142  MADAME   FELLER. 

caused  much  sadness  to  all  the  friends  of  the  cause, 
especially  as  there  was  not  a  lack  of  attendance  nor  of 
personal  interest  on  the  part  of  the  students.  It 
weighed  upon  Madame  Feller's  mind,  and  being  al- 
ready an  invalid,  it  added  to  her  illness.  The  problem 
of  ways  and  means  was  too  hard  for  her  weakened 
state,  yet  she  retained  strength  to  pray,  wrestle,  believe 
the  promises  and  wait.  "  If  I  do  not  deceive  myself," 
she  wrote,  "  I  wait,  I  wrestle  with  the  I/ord,  entreating 
him  to  hasten  the  moment  of  our  deliverance." 

At  this  time  she  began  to  contemplate  withdrawal 
from  the  management  of  the  Mission.  "  She  thought 
of  building  a  small  house  close  by,  in  which  she  might 
spend  the  remainder  of  her  days,  and  which,  after  her 
death  might  be  inhabited  by  aged  or  infirm  persons  as 
a  Protestant  refuge  under  control  of  the  Society ;  but 
no  steps  were  taken  towards  the  accomplishment  of  the 
purpose."  It  was  not  agreeable  to  the  friends,  who 
hoped  to  meet  her  in  the  accustomed  rooms  until  she 
should  remove  to  the  Mansions  on  High.  And  this 
removal  was  not  far  in  advance.  The  school  year  had 
but  partially  passed  when  the  vacant  halls  were  made 
more  desolate  by  the  departure  of  the  presiding  genius 
of  the  place.  In  such  an  hour  as  no  one  expected  it 
her  death  was  due;  it  occurred  March  29,  1868. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  L,afleur,  of  Montreal,  called  by  tele- 
gram, reached  her  bedside  the  day  after  the  acute 
attack,  and,  being  witnesses  of  the  last  change,  were 
qualified  to  make  known  the  circumstances.  Mrs. 
Lafleur  spoke  of  it  thus  :  "  Her  last  illness  was  short ; 
it  lasted  only  four  days.  On  March  25  she  was  sud- 
denly taken  ill  in  the  morning,  just  after  she  had  risen 


A   MEMORIAL.  143 

from  bed,  after  having  taken  her  breakfast.  Mr.  Roussy 
detected  at  once  a  violent  attack  of  pneumonia,  com- 
plicated with  nervous  fever,  or  assuming  a  typhoid 
form.  This  of  course  took  powerful  hold  of  the  whole 
system,  and  our  dear  Madame  Feller  suffered  much 
pain  and  was  often  delirious.  She  had  considerable 
intervals  of  consciousness  however,  and  continued  to 
give  orders  about  household  matters  from  her  bed 
until  the  day  before  she  died.  She  had  at  times  the 
almost  entire  certainty  of  her  great  danger,  and  yet  she 
was  so  ill  that  she  had  not  much  time  to  speak  about 
it,  or  else  it  may  be  that  she  was  afraid  to  make  us  too 
sad. 

"  The  nights  were  very  bad ;  our  dear  friend  was 
always  much  excited  and  her  pulse  high — up  to  120. 
On  Sabbath  morning,  between  six  and  seven  o'clock, 
she  took  a  light  breakfast,  and  after  I  had  laid  her  back 
on  the  pillow  she  appeared  perfectly  exhausted,  and 
wanting  rest.  I  left  the  maid  with  her  for  a  few  min- 
utes to  go  and  take  breakfast,  but  was  summoned  up 
stairs  almost  immediately,  as  she  was  worse.  Her 
mind  was  wandering,  and  she  was  talking  much ;  as 
much  as  her  oppressed  breathing  would  allow.  But 
even  in  her  partially  unconscious  state  she  had  such  a 
clear  view  of  her  faith  and  hope  in  Christ  that  there 
was  nothing  out  of  order.  Her  great  concern  was  for 
her  boys.  She  insisted  that  we  should  go  and  tell  them 
to  seek  Jesus — to  trust  in  Him — to  be  sure  that  they 
were  established  in  Jesus  by  faith.  These  words — '  by 
faith  only,'  ' in  the  blood  of  Christ  alone'  ' by  faith  in 
Him ' — were  continually  repeated  with  the  most  solemn 
emphasis.  She  thus  spoke  without  any  interruption, 


144  MADAME   FELLER. 

until,  growing  weaker,  she  just  murmured  with  her 
lips  the  saving  truths  of  the  Gospel.  She  had,  I  may 
say,  no  agony,  only  the  difficulty  in  breathing,  and  at 
a  quarter  to  nine  she  peacefully  left  this  world,  full 
of  hopes  of  a  glorious  resurrection,  of  which  she  had 
spoken  to  Mr.  Roussy  and  me  the  day  before." 

Mrs.  lyafleur,  in  thus  writing  to  Mrs.  Doremus,  of 
New  York,  who,  with  Dr.  Doremus,  was  one  of  the 
generous  friends  that  Madame  Feller  had  found  during 
her  efforts  for  the  Mission,  adds  some  statements  in 
commendation  of  the  untiring  and  wise  management 
of  the  case  by  Mr.  Roussy  as  attending  physician.  His 
treatment  was  approved  by  counsel  from  Montreal. 
But  who  should  bind  up  his  own  broken  heart  ?  Who 
could  do  it,  except  He  who  was  sent  into  the  world  for 
such  purposes?  What  reflections  naturally  clustered 
there !  Lausanne ;  the  little  persecuted  church ;  the 
rise  of  the  missionary  sentiment ;  the  consecration  of 
two  and  their  commitment  to  the  sea  and  to  an  un- 
friendly people  beyond  the  sea,  and,  after  thirty-three 
years  of  common  sacrifice  and  suffering  to  part  on  the 
field  of  trial  and  triumph,  amidst  the  fruition  of  their 
hopes  !  Both  had  fought  the  good  fight ;  one  had  fin- 
ished the  course ;  one  was  taken,  the  other  left.  And 
not  the  least  feature  of  this  impressive  scene  was  the 
presence  of  those  cherished  associates  who  came  into 
participation  of  the  heavenly  gift,  due,  in  some  meas- 
ure, to  this  missionary  enterprise,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lafleur. 
How  must  they  have  blessed  the  L,ord  for  Grande 
L,igne,  and  for  being  permitted  to  witness  the  closing 
moments  of  its  great  heroine,  as  she  passed  into  the 
heavens ! 


THE  LOG  HUT— HO*}  r;  ... :  . 


RESTING. 


A   MEMORIAL.  145 

"The  funeral,"  says  Dr.  Cramp,  "  took  place  on 
Wednesday,  April  i.  Such  a  funeral  had  never  been 
seen  in  the  Grande  L,igne  district.  People  flocked  to 
it  from  every  quarter,  Roman  Catholics  as  well  as  Prot- 
estants, and  Protestants  of  all  denominations.  The 
coffin  having  been  borne  into  the  chapel,  some  time 
was  spent  in  devotional  exercises,  under  the  direction 
of  Rev.  L,.  Normandeau.  An  eloquent  and  impressive 
address  was  delivered  by  Rev.  T.  Lafleur,  in  which  the 
character  of  the  deceased  was  faithfully  portrayed  and 
a  fitting  eulogy  pronounced  on  her  abundant  labors." 
Mr.  Lafleur  also  preached  a  funeral  sermon  on  the 
event,  by  request,  in  the  First  Baptist  Church,  Mont- 
real. M.  Normandeau  spoke  concerning  the  deceased, 
at  the  funeral,  in  melting  words  of  farewell  to  the  "  dear 
friend  "  of  all,  "  and  the  sound  of  weeping  was  heard 
all  over  the  place."  At  the  grave,  Rev.  L,.  Roussy  read 
some  appropriate  passages  of  Scripture,  and  offered 
prayer,  "  with  faltering  lips."  Thenceforward  he  had 
a  sense  of  aloneness,  though  surrounded  by  congenial 
associates.  There  was  an  "  aching  void,"  which  none 
other  could  fill. 

The  burial  took  place  on  the  mission  premises, 
which  thereafter  were  "consecrated  grounds,"  in  a 
better  sense  than  the  church  of  Rome  could  have  made 
them  to  be  ;  and  they  became  more  and  more  sacred  as 
prized  members  of  the  Mission  were  laid  in  adjoining 
graves.  It  was  at  once  resolved  to  erect  a  suitable 
monument  to  Madame  Feller,  and  arrangements  were 
made  for  securing  subscriptions  for  it,  under  the  aus- 
pices of  a  Ladies'  Committee.  But  the  French  Cana- 
dian Protestants  claimed  the  privilege  of  its  erection 


146  MADAME    FELLER. 

and  succeeded  in  accomplishing  it.  It  is  composed  of 
white  marble,  eleven  feet  high,  graceful  in  form  and  in 
all  respects  fitly  memorializes  the  modest,  meritorious 
woman  who  gave  her  life  to  God  and  Missions.  The 
inscriptions  on  the  several  sides  are  in  French,  and 
may  be  translated  as  follows : 

Eastside — "  To  the  memory  of  Henrietta  Feller, 
born  in  Switzerland,  Foundress  of  the  Grande  Ligne 
Mission  in  Canada,  died  March  29,  1868,  aged  68  years." 

Northside — "A  tribute  of  gratitude  and  love,  pre- 
sented by  the  French  Canadians  to  the  memory  of  their 
dear  benefactress,  whose  Christian  devotedness  pro- 
cured for  them  the  knowledge  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ." 

Southside — "  A  passage  of  Scripture  selected  long 
ago  by  the  happy  deceased :  '  As  we  have  borne  the 
image  of  the  earthly,  we  shall  also  bear  the  image  of 
the  heavenly." 

A  procession  was  formed  at  the  chapel,  advanced 
to  the  burial-ground  and  there  assembled  about  the 
monument.  A  hymn  was  sung,  and  "  Rev.  T.  L,afleur 
delivered  an  appropriate  and  eloquent  address,  in  which 
he  expatiated  on  the  Christian  virtues  of  the  departed, 
and  the  blessing  that  had  followed  her  labors ;  the 
propriety  and  useful  tendencies  of  monumental  me- 
morials, and  the  glorious  results  of  faith  and  religious 
efforts,  far  outlasting  the  most  durable  erections  got 
up  by  the  hands  of  man  and  stretching  into  the  eter- 
nal ages." 

Returning  to  the  chapel,  special  services  were  held 
there ;  parts  being  taken  by  Rev.  I,.  Normandeau,  Rev. 
John  Alexander,  of  Montreal,  and  Rev.  Dr.  Cramp,  of 


A    MEMORIAL.  147 

Acadia  College,  who  delivered  au  address  on  the  his- 
tory of  the  Mission,  the  views  and  feelings  of  the  de- 
parted, and  the  duty  of  following  her  example  in  its 
support.  "  Rev.  L,.  Roussy  followed,  in  a  touching 
address,  delivered  under  the  influence  of  powerful 
emotion."  Others  spoke,  also;  notably  T.  M.  Thom- 
son, Esq.,  of  Montreal,  and  M.  Rossier,  missionary. 

Mr.  G.  R.  Roberts,  of  Toronto,  in  writing  of  ob- 
servations at  the  Mission,  remarks:  "Perhaps  the 
most  interesting  spot  of  all  is  the  little  cemetery  be- 
hind the  Institute,  where  the  founders  and  heroes  of 
the  Grande  Ljgne  work  are  buried,  with  many  who 
followed  them  in  their  simple  faith  lying  by  their 
side.  Plain  obelisks  and  plainer  slabs  give  names  well 
known  and  unknown  to  the  present  generation,  and 
memories,  fragrant  as  the  lilies  of  the  valley  that 
grow  in  wild  profusion  among  the  graves,  come  to 
the  minds  and  touch  the  hearts  of  the  strangers  wan- 
dering over  the  hallowed  ground.  Many  lilies  and 
little  wild  flowers  gathered  there  that  day  are  treas- 
ured in  western  homes  as  precious  souvenirs  of  the 
visit  to  the  place  made  sacred  by  the  service  and 
honored  with  the  graves  of  the  heroes  of  the  Grande 
L,igne  Mission." 

It  seems  fitting  that  Mrs.  Lafleur,  who  also  came 
from  L,ausanne,  and  had  lived  in  close  or  neighborly 
intimacy  with  Madame  Feller  for  fifteen  years,  who 
bestowed  gentle  ministries  upon  her  during  her  last 
hours  upon  earth,  and  followed  her  to  the  better 
world  ten  years  afterward,  should  receive  a  well 
deserved  commemoration  in  connection  with  hers. 
What  might  not  Mrs.  Lafleur  have  achieved  in 


148  MADAME   FELLER. 

womanly  heroism,  had  an  occasion  similar  to  that 
met  by  Madame  Feller  been  thrust  upon  her?  What 
may  she  not  actually  have  been  as  a  heroine,  in  school, 
domestic  and  church  life,  in  many  unrecorded  circum- 
stances? Not  all  the  heroines  of  earth  receive  bene- 
diction from  human  voice  or  pen.  But  God  is  not 
unrighteous  to  forget. 


Madame  Lafleur  came  in  the  autumn  of  1852,  as 
Miss  Adele  E.  Voruz,  daughter  of  a  noted  professor  of 
mathematics  in  the  University  of  Lausanne,  Switzer- 
land. She  was  married  in  New  York  shortly  after 
her  arrival,  to  the  Rev.  Theodore  Lafleur,  settled  at 
St.  Pie  as  a  missionary,  and  where  Miss  Jonte  had  be- 
gun a  small  girls'  school,  of  which  she  assumed  the 
direction  as  teacher.  She  became  at  once  a  favorite 
teacher  and  a  beloved  missionary  among  the  others, 
and  loved  by  none  more  than  by  Madame  Feller,  to 
whom  she  had  a  striking  resemblance,  and  was  often 
taken  for  her  daughter.  They  came  from  the  same 
city  and  had  many  common  acquaintances.  When 
they  could  meet  their  enjoyment  was  very  great  and 
their  communion  very  sweet,  for  there  was  a  great 
similarity  in  the  cast  of  their  minds.  Mrs.  Lafleur 
spoke  and  wrote  French  and  English  accurately  and 
and  elegantly,  besides  knowing  German  well.  She 
was  a  born  teacher,  and  was  fond  of  teaching.  Hav- 
ing had  the  direction  of  the  girls'  school,  first  at  St. 
Pie  and  then  at  Longueuil,  for  some  ten  years,  with 
the  increase  in  her  family  and  her  enfeebled  health, 
she  was  obliged  to  give  it  up.  About  that  time  Mr. 


MADAME  LAFLEUR.  REV.  THEO.  LAFLEUR. 


A   MEMORIAL.  149 

Lafleur  removed  to  Montreal  to  undertake  evange- 
listic and  pastoral  work  as  well  as  writing  for  the 
press.  In  this  new  sphere,  though  often  hindered  by 
ill  health,  Mrs.  L,afleur  was  a  great  helpmeet  by  her 
loveliness  to  all  and  her  devotedness  in  the  cause. 

Much  might  be  said  of  her  qualifications  as  a 
mother.  She  was  a  model  of  affectionate  tenderness 
and  firmness  in  the  education  of  her  children.  She 
lived  long  enough  to  see  some  of  her  boys  distinguish 
themselves  in  some  of  the  Montreal  schools,  but  not 
till  they  gained  high  honors  in  McGill  University.  If 
God's  love  and  spirit  had  not  been  so  sustaining  and 
radiant  in  her  face  and  life,  one  might  murmur  that 
such  a  life  was  allowed  to  be  so  early  undermined  by 
a  lingering  and  at  times  painful  disease.  But  the 
sorrow  of  parting  with  her  young  family  was  miti- 
gated by  her  joyous  faith  in  the  God  and  Father  to 
whom  she  commended  her  dear  ones. 

Mrs.  L,afleur  died  on  the  7th  of  April,  1878,  at  the 
age  of  42,  and  was  buried  on  the  gth.  The  funeral 
service  was  held  in  the  house,  and  was  most  solemn 
in  its  simplicity 


150  MADAME    FELLER. 


XII. 

*—  T.  BROUILLET;  N.  GRE- 
GOIRE;  G.  N.  MASSE;  L.  CHAS.  ROUX  ; 
A.  L.  THERRIEN;  M.  O.  THERRIEN  ;  J. 
N.  WILLIAMS, 


career  of  a  successful  teacher  does  not  end 
-*~  with  the  teacher's  life.  It  extends  onward  and 
through  the  lives  and  labors  of  all  who  have  been 
influenced  thereby.  Character  repeats  itself.  The 
pupil's  success  is  not  all  his  own.  It  is  largely  the 
product  of  the  impulse  received  in  the  school-room, 
and  the  momentum  there  gained  often  carries  one 
along  after  his  faculties  have  become  enfeebled  by 
illness  or  age.  And  when  it  is  considered  that  the 
teacher's  effect  takes  as  many  directions  as  the  num- 
bers of  the  taught,  and  that  all  these  appear  farther 
on  in  the  lives  of  others,  an  impression  of  his  impor- 
tance begins,  but  only  begins  to  be  felt. 

Standing  at  this  point  in  time,  more  than  sixty 
years  after  the  arrival  of  Louis  Roussy  and  Madame 
Feller  in  Canada,  after  experiences  of  the  little  log  hut, 
the  persecution  and  the  banishment,  when  the  benefits 
of  the  sacrifice  were  to  be  discovered  only  by  Faith's 
well-trained  eye,  it  is  now  seen  in  part  and  may  be 
prophesied  in  part  how  wonderful  the  Grande  L,igne 
work  was  and  is  yet  to  be.  The  fruits  appear  in  men 
and  women  quite  as  much  as  in  churches  and  material 


A    MEMORIAL.  151 

improvements.  They  are  to  be  found  throughout  the 
northern  and  western  States  as  well  as  in  the  Domin- 
ion of  Canada,  and  constitute  vital  forces  in  all  impor- 
tant directions;  especially  in  stemming  the  tide  of 
error  and  iniquity  promoted  by  the  Romanists.  Seeing 
that  the  Grande  L,igne  Mission  had  the  task  of  creating 
the  forces  that  were  to  do  its  work,  raise  up  churches 
and  schools  and  sustain  them,  meantime  making  a  vig- 
orous fight  for  existence  against  a  treacherous  foe,  it  is 
amazing  that  it  has  wrought  so  much.  Excepting  for 
two  persons,  the  Baptist  cause  in  the  Province  of  Que- 
bec is  indigenous,  self-existent,  with  the  moral  climate 
unfavorable  to  it. 

In  glancing  at  the  field  over  which  the  French  are 
scattered  in  America,  we  observe  that  most  of  the  Bap- 
tist forces  that  are  now  influencing  that  people  were 
derived  from  the  Grande  L,igne  Mission,  directly  or  in- 
directly. The  distinguished  woman  who,  with  Mr. 
Roussy,  has  the  honor  of  giving  it  a  footing,  received 
the  reputable  appellation  of  Mother  from  those  who 
enjoyed  her  counsels.  And  she  was  proud  of  her 
"boys,"  and  loved  them;  affections  that  were  fully  re- 
ciprocated. In  the  midst  of  straits  often  experienced 
and  slender  material  resources  to  the  last,  she  could 
point  to  the  valiant  "boys"  she  had  sent  into  the 
battlefield  and  say  with  the  mother  of  the  Gracchi, 
"  These  are  the  jewels  of  which  I  can  boast."  A  better 
class  of  men — men  adapted  to  their  calling  and  qualified 
to  meet  the  hosts  of  infidel  and  Catholic  French — are 
not  to  be  found  in  any  mission  land.  And  it  comes 
within  the  scope  of  this  narrative  to  bring  some  of 
these  "  Gracchi "  before  the  reader. 


152  MADAME   FELLER. 

It  would  have  been  a  great  pleasure  to  have  brought 
forward  a  greater  number  ;  but  all  were  not  obtainable. 
For  the  sketches  given  special  thanks  are  herewith 
rendered  to  Rev.  L,.  Chas.  Roux,  Rev.  Theodore  Lafleur 
and  Rev.  A.  L.  Therrien  ;  and  further  reference  to  the 
authorship  of  them  will  not  be  necessary. 


With  the  exception  of  Rev.  Mr.  L/afleur,  Rev.  J.  N. 
Williams  and  Rev.  F.  A.  Smith,  Mr.  Brouillet  is  the 
only  one  surviving  of  the  old  band  of  the  Grande  Ligne 
missionaries  who  were  in  Canada  in  July,  1851.  What 
a  great  favorite  he  was  then  with  Madame  Feller,  Mr. 
Roussy,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Normandeau,  by  his  gentleness 
and  inexhaustible  kindliness  and  forbearance  ! 

After  having  completed  his  studies  at  the  Institute 
he  became  one  of  the  assistant  teachers  and  rendered 
efficient  service.  Later  on  he  removed  to  the  United 
States,  where  by  his  diligence,  industry  and  talents  he 
was  not  long  in  securing  a  very  lucrative  position,  and, 
as  many  less  gifted  than  himself  have  done,  might  have 
become  wealthy  ;  but  both  he  and  his  faithful  wife  felt 
one  day  that  the  Lord  wanted  them  in  Canada,  and  so 
they  returned  and  were  soon  entrusted  with  the  man- 
agement of  the  Grande  Ligne  Institute,  Mr.  Brouillet 
helping  besides  in  the  teaching  department  and  preach- 
ing every  other  Sunday  at  Henryville. 

In  1873,  Rev.  Mr.  Riendeau  having  left  St.  Marie  de 
Monnoir  for  a  visit  to  Europe,  Mr.  Brouillet  took  charge 
of  that  important  station  during  his  absence,  and  was, 
on  Mr.  Riendeau's  return,  sent  to  Roxtou  Pond  as  an 


A    MEMORIAL.  153 

evangelist,  and  worked  with  such  a  zeal  and  success 
that  in  the  spring  of  1876  he  was  set  apart  for  the  min- 
istry of  the  Gospel  and  ordained  in  answer  to  a  call 
of  the  Roxton  Pond  Church. 

Mr,  Brouillet  had  for  many  years  under  his  charge 
two  churches,  that  of  Roxton  Pond  and  that  of  St.  Pie, 
and  also  regularly  visited  the  station  of  St.  Valerien, 
ten  miles  distant  in  another  direction.  He  took  a 
special  interest  in  the  Sunday  School.  "  The  hour  I 
give  to  this  important  work  with  the  young,"  he  re- 
marked, "  is  perhaps  the  happiest  hour  of  my  Sunday." 
Our  brother  was  a  great  deal  helped  in  this  ministry  of 
love  to  the  young  by  his  amiable  wife,  his  daughter 
Eva,  and  Mr.  M.  O.  Therrien. 

As  a  result  of  his  faithful  efforts,  quite  a  number 
of  persons,  several  of  them  belonging  to  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church,  were  baptized  or  added  to  the 
church.  A  pretty  and  comfortable  parsonage  was  built, 
toward  which  the  members  of  the  church  and  of  the 
congregation  largely  contributed,  and  an  excellent  re- 
ligious influence  was  exercised  upon  the  surrounding 
Roman  Catholic  population.  In  1884  Mr.  Gregoire,  a 
converted  priest,  spent  a  few  weeks  among  us,  and  they 
were  times  of  great  excitement  and,  we  may  say  also,  of 
great  blessings.  During  all  that  time  the  whole  village 
and  surrounding  country  was  astir  on  the  question  of 
religion.  A  serious  encounter  took  place  between  Mr. 
Gregoire  and  a  champion  of  Romanism  sent  by  the 
parish  priest,  where  the  merits  of  Roman  Catholicism 
and  Evangelical  Christianity  were  fully  discussed  for 
several  hours  before  more  than  two  hundred  persons. 
That  discussion  was  held  in  a  grove  by  night,  and  the 


154  MADAME    FELLER. 

eager  audience  listened  to  the  debate  by  lighted  lan- 
terns. It  was  a  fairy  scene.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the 
abundance  of  seed  sown  on  that  day  in  many  minds, 
with  many  a  kind  word  by  our  brethren,  will  not  be 
lost,  but  will  bear  fruit  in  God's  own  time." 

During  the  summer  of  1885  the  parish  priest  made 
great  efforts  to  induce  some  of  our  Protestants  to  attend 
the  service  of  his  church ;  he  even  visited  some  sick 
Protestants  in  the  hope  of  converting  them.  "  One 
day,"  says  Mr.  Brouillet,  "  I  met  him  at  the  bedside  of 
of  one  of  those.  My  arrival  seemed  to  trouble  him  a 
little.  I  did  not  wait  long  to  put  to  him  a  few  questions 
on  his  assumed  powers.  '  You  wish  to  have  a  discus- 
sion, sir,'  he  said;  'you  want  to  have  it;  well,  I  don't.' 
'  No  '  I  said,  '  I  only  wish  to  know  on  what  passage  of 
the  Gospel  you  base  your  doctrine  ? '  'Ah  !  but  we,' 
he  said,  '  we  depend  on  tradition  to  form  our  dogmas.' 
'Will  you  show  me,  then,'  I  added,  'the  authenticity 
of  your  tradition  ? '  '  No,'  he  replied ;  '  it  would  be  too 
long  to  do  it ;  come  to  my  house  and  we  shall  speak 
together  on  this  subject.  Good-bye,  sir.'  He  was  evi- 
dently afraid  to  speak  before  other  persons.  This 
young  priest  was  soon  stopped  in  this  religious  war- 
fare, when  he  saw  the  zeal  of  our  Protestants  in  the 
defense  .of  the  Gospel." 

The  year  1887  was  a  real  pentecostal  one  for  Rox- 
ton  Pond :  seven  members  were  added  to  the  church 
by  baptism,  many  more  by  letters.  The  congregation 
was  largely  increased  by  the  return  of  quite  a  number 
of  French  Protestants;  a  strong  temperance  society 
was  organized  among  the  young  people,  and  these 
maintained  their  principles  in  such  a  firm  and  con- 


REV.  TREFLE  BROUILET.  REV.  TOUS3ANT  RIEXDEAU. 


A    MEMORIAL.  155 

sistent  way  that  some  Roman  Catholics  could  not 
help  saying:  "We  Catholics  do  not  stand  firm  and 
united  as  Protestants  do  !  "  And,  as  a  crowning  bless- 
ing, the  Association  of  the  French  Baptist  churches 
met  there  on  the  last  days  of  June  in  such  a  large 
number  that  the  Roman  Catholics  were  quite  amazed 
at  it,  and  the  meetings  held  in  a  grove  were  so  pre- 
cious that  many  were  heard  to  exclaim,  as  Peter  on 
the  holy  mount:  "It  is  good  to  be  here!" 

The  Divine  Master  encouraged  his  servant,  dur- 
ring  the  year  1888,  by  granting  him  the  joy  of  bap- 
tizing eleven  happy  believers,  several  of  whom  had 
recently  left  the  Church  of  Rome.  One  of  them  was 
heard  to  say,  a  fortnight  after  his  baptism:  "How 
different  have  been  those  days  since  my  baptism 
from  those  of  past  years  ! " 

But  in  1896  impaired  health  compelled  him  to  re- 
tire from  this  field,  in  which,  for  twenty-three  years, 
as  under-shepherd,  he  had  followed  in  the  steps  of 
his  divine  Shepherd,  Saviour  and  King,  being  by  his 
life  of  faith,  unto  all  those  who  saw  and  heard  him, 
the  epistle  of  Christ,  written  not  with  ink,  but  with 
the  Spirit  of  the  living  God ;  not  on  tables  of  stone, 
but  on  fleshy  tables  of  the  heart. 

He  is  now  in  charge  of  the  old  church  of  St.  Pie, 
where  he  is  so  well  known  and  so  much  loved,  and 
the  prayers  of  all  his  brothers  in  the  ministry  are 
with  him  to  uphold  his  hands,  and  to  encourage  him 
to  fight  the  good  fight  of  faith  unto  the  end. 


156  MADAME    FELLER. 


The  subject  of  this  notice  was  born  in  1849,  in  the 
parish  of  Napierville,  about  five  miles  from  Grande 
L,igne  Institute.  Being  endowed  with  much  natural 
talent  he  was  kept  at  school  by  his  parents  from  his 
early  boyhood  until  he  graduated  in  the  College  of  L,'- 
Assomption  at  the  early  age  of  seventeen  years.  He 
entered  the  Society  of  the  Oblats  Fathers  at  twenty, 
and  completed  his  theological  studies  with  them  at  the 
age  of  twenty-four  years.  In  1874,  having  been  or- 
dained a  priest,  he  was  sent  as  missionary  to  the  Indi- 
ans of  British  Columbia,  where  he  remained  until  the 
year  1883.  His  labors  there,  and  especially  the  mode 
of  life  he  had  to  follow,  were  such  that  his  health  failed 
him,  and  for  a  time  it  seemed  that  he  would  never  see 
his  native  land  again.  He,  at  the  same  time,  became 
troubled  by  serious  doubts  as  to  the  truthfulness  of 
some  dogmas  of  his  church,  especially  on  the  questions 
of  auricular  confession.  His  superior  and  bishop  hav- 
ing refused  him  permission  to  return  home  for  two 
years'  rest,  he  laid  his  case  before  the  Pope  and  secured 
this  permission  from  him.  In  1884  he  visited  Grande 
Ligne,  and  through  the  assistance  of  Rev.  A.  I,.  Ther- 
rien,  who  was  then  pastor  there,  he  visited  the  Insti- 
tute and  obtained  permission,  after  spending  three 
weeks  in  the  pastor's  family,  to  remain  there  for  a 
few  months,  during  which  time  he  studied  the  Bible 
and  was  converted  and  baptized.  He  was  the  first 
convert  baptized  by  Rev.  A.  L,.  Therrien  in  the 
Roussy  Memorial  Church  at  Grande  L,igne.  On  that 


A   MEMORIAL.  157 

occasion  he  himself  preached  the  sermon,  giving  his 
reasons  for  having  severed  his  connection  with  the 
Church  of  Rome  and  for  entering  the  Baptist  Church. 

In  the  fall  of  the  same  year,  under  the  auspices  of 
Grande  Ljgne  Mission,  he  entered  the  Baptist  Semi- 
nary at  Newton  Center,  Mass.  Returning  in  the  spring 
following  he  entered  upon  the  work  in  connection 
with  the  Mission,  occupying  successively  the  fields  of 
South  Ely,  where  he  was  ordained  as  pastor  of  the 
church,  on  the  28th  of  September,  1887,  St.  Johns,  and 
St.  Pie,  where  he  is  now  located. 

Mr.  Gregoire  is  known  as  a  deep  thinker,  a  vigor- 
ous writer  and  a  quiet,  unobtrusive  worker.  His 
feeble  health  and  naturally  shrinking  spirit  have  hin- 
dered him  from  doing  what  he  might  otherwise  have 
done.  He  has  written  a  number  of  tracts  on  contro- 
versial subjects  which  are  considered  as  the  best  of 
the  kind  the  Mission  has  had.  Of  late  he  has  been 
engaged  in  a  controversy  with  one  of  the  ablest  theo- 
logians of  the  Roman  Catholic  priesthood  of  Canada, 
and  has  succeeded  in  silencing  him.  He  has  a  sister 
who  is  the  Superior  of  the  Convent  at  Rigault,  P.  Q., 
and  has  had  several  extended  conversations  with  her 
on  the  subject  of  religion.  She  expressed  to  him  the 
wish  that  women  in  the  Roman  Catholic  Church 
might  confess  to  women,  and  not  to  men,  a  wish  no 
doubt  shared  by  many  Roman  Catholic  women,  and 
which  is  not  without  significance. 

It  was  when  Mr.  Gregoire  was  giving  his  reasons 
for  leaving  the  Church  of  Rome,  in  the  French  Bap- 
tist Church  of  Montreal,  that  this  church  was  in- 
vaded by  over  a  hundred  students  from  L,aval  Uni- 


158  MADAME   FELLER. 

versity,  who  raised  an  uproar  which  culminated  in 
the  arrest  of  three  of  them  by  the  police,  and  their 
subsequent  fine  for  disturbing  the  peace.  After  the 
departure  of  these  students,  on  the  same  evening,  and 
on  two  evenings  following,  Mr.  Gregoire  was  listened 
to  most  attentively  by  large  audiences,  composed 
mostly  of  Roman  Catholics,  while  he  discoursed  on 
the  Authority  of  the  Church,  or  Peter's  supremacy, 
the  Confessional,  and  the  Doctrine  of  the  Mass. 

In  connection  with  this  notice  it  may  be  well  to 
remind  the  reader  that  Mr.  Gregoire  is  the  fourth 
priest  converted  to  the  Gospel  through  Grande  L,igne 
Mission,  apart  from  the  fact  that  this  Mission  has  had  a 
great  deal  to  do  with  the  conversion  of  another  priest, 
Father  Chiniquy,  who  finally  joined  the  Presbyterian 
Church. 


The  present  principal  of  the  Feller  Institute, 
Grande  Ligne,  Godefroi  Narcisse  Masse,  is  one  of  the 
choice  fruits  of  the  school.  Though  born  at  Glen 
Falls,  N.  Y.,  he  is  of  French  blood,  and  fully  identi- 
fied with  the  Canadians.  His  mother,  a  widow  and 
poor,  obtained  employment  in  the  Institute,  to  secure 
educational  advantages  for  her  children.  There  he 
was  converted,  and  consecrated  himself  to  the  mis- 
sionary cause.  From  Grande  Ligne  he  entered  Mc- 
Gill  University,  and  after  much  loss  of  time  through 
sickness  graduated  with  the  honors  of  his  class.  He 
then  entered  a  mission  field,  but  notwithstanding  the 
strong  attachment  of  his  flock  to  him,  his  signal  abil- 
ities brought  a  call  to  teach  at  Grande  L,igne  ;  then 


A   MEMORIAL.  159 

a  call  to  the  important  pastorate  of  the  church  there, 
and  ultimately  to  the  principalship  of  the  Institute. 
He  is  young,  yet  for  ten  years  he  has  held  this  prom- 
inent post  with  astonishing  success.  His  life  —  from 
the  conversion  of  his  mother  from  Romanism  there, 
leading  to  his  own,  on  through  a  period  of  mental 
and  spiritual  culture  —  has  become  fully  identified 
with  that  of  the  institution.  Rev.  M.  B.  Parent,  his 
pastor  for  nine  years  past,  says  : 

"The  deep  spiritual  fervor  of  his  life  has  im- 
pressed itself  upon  all  with  whom  he  has  come  in 
contact.  The  pupils  love  and  trust  him.  His  fellow 
teachers  find  him  thoughtful  and  just,  always  willing 
to  assume  more  than  his  share  of  the  burdens. 

"  The  Board  places  the  fullest  confidence  in  his 
wisdom,  integrity  and  administrative  skill.  We,  his 
brother  missionaries,  rejoice  that  we  have  such  a  man 
at  the  head  of  our  educational  work,  projecting  his 
noble  life  into  the  generations  to  come.  '  He  is  the 
right  man  in  the  right  place.'  Pray  that  God  may 
uphold  him  in  his  difficult  and  arduous  labors." 


Mr.  Roux,  Professor  of  French  in  the  Baptist  In- 
stitute in  Saxton's  River,  Vermont,  now  about  seventy 
years  of  age,  was  born  near  Marseilles,  in  France. 
While  in  Rome  he  made  the  acquaintance  of  English 
Protestant  Christians  who  instructed  him  about  the 
Gospel,  and  were  thus  (1845)  the  means  of  his  con- 
version. Soon  after  they  helped  him  to  go  to  Genoa 
to  pursue  a  course  of  theology  at  the  school  of  the 


l6o  MADAME    FELLER. 

Oratoire.  There  he  made  the  acquaintance  of  Messrs. 
Cyr  and  Lafleur,  who  were  also  students  in  the  same 
school.  By  them  Mr.  Roux  became  acquainted  with 
the  work  of  the  Grande  I/igne  Mission.  In  1851  he 
made  up  his  mind  to  come  to  Canada  to  join  them 
in  missionary  work.  Having  married  a  French  Ca- 
nadian convert,  Miss  Longpie,  while  teaching  in  the 
Grande  Ljgne  Institute,  he  afterwards  occupied  several 
fields  for  a  time,  and  later  on,  for  a  number  of  years, 
he  labored  with  another  Missionary  Society.  How- 
ever, he  returned  to  the  service  of  the  Mission,  and 
assumed  with  Mrs.  Roux  (his  second  wife)  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Feller  Institute  at  Longueuil,  associated 
with  the  old  missionary,  Miss  Jonte.  They  remained 
there  until  the  Longueuil  property  was  sold,  in  1878, 
then  they  removed  to  take  charge  of  the  school,  Feller 
Institute,  at  Grande  Ligne,  now  a  mixed  school  for 
boys  and  girls.  After  several  years  of  successful  work 
at  Grande  Ligne,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Roux  severed  their 
connection  with  the  Mission,  and  Mr.  Roux  became  a 
teacher  of  French  in  the  Academy  at  Saxton's  River. 
Mrs.  Roux,  previously  to  her  marriage,  was  first  as- 
sistant teacher  and  then  lady  principal  of  Pointe  aux 
Trembles  Missionary  Institute.  They  remain  cordial 
friends  of  the  Mission  and  the  missionary  work.  Mr. 
Roux  is  a  genial  man,  witty,  still  very  young  in  spirit, 
of  tender  heart  and  faithful  affections,  an  omnivorous 
reader,  somewhat  of  a  poet  in  his  leisure  moments, 
and  a  simple,  earnest,  devoted  Christian  ;  an  interest- 
ing preacher  of  the  Gospel,  in  its  simplest  form. 

Prof.  Homer  C.  Bristol,  late  principal  of  the  school 
at  Saxtou's    River,  bears  glad  testimony  concerning 


A   MEMORIAL.  l6l 

him  :  "  Rev.  Chas.  Roux  is  at  Vermont  Academy. 
He  has  taught  French  there  for  some  ten  years.  He 
is  rare  in  the  ripeness  of  his  spiritual  life.  He  is  up- 
wards of  seventy  in  years,  but  it  is  seventy  years 
young  and  seventy  years  good.  He  has  given  satis- 
faction as  a  teacher  at  an  age  when  most  of  us  can  no 
longer  continue  in  the  class-room.  He  has  a  summer 
school  in  which  the  life  and  language  is  French.  His 
wife  and  a  son  and  a  daughter  assist  him." 

And  Rev.  A.  L,.  Therrien  does  likewise,  respecting 
Mrs.  Roux  :  "  The  wife  and  worthy  helpmeet  of  Prof. 
L,.  Charles  Roux  deserves  a  larger  place  in  this  history 
of  Grande  Ligne  than  circumstances  allow  us  to  give 
her.  She  was  born  in  New  York  State  of  French 
parentage ;  her  grandfather  having  come  directly  from 
France.  From  her  earliest  childhood  she  was  placed 
under  the  care  and  teaching  of  masters  from  France 
and  Switzerland,  and  was  kept  under  the  best  of  moral 
and  religious  influences.  At  the  early  age  of  fifteen 
she  was  at  the  head  of  a  numerous  school  in  which  she 
exhibited  force  of  character,  ability  to  teach,  and  pre- 
cious disciplinary  aptitudes.  She  taught  for  many 
years  at  the  Point  aux  Trembles  Institute,  and  was 
called  to  succeed  in  that  school  Mrs.  Moret  as  lady 
principal.  When  she  and  her  husband  were  requested 
to  assume  the  charge  of  Feller  Institute  at  Longueuil, 
a  position  they  were  to  hold  there  and  at  Grande  Lagne 
sixteen  years,  she  brought  to  that  school  a  wide  expe- 
rience and  gifts  which  fitted  her  preeminently  for  her 
new  responsibilities.  She  has  left  an  enduring  name, 
and  is  held  in  loving  remembrance  by  those  who  came 
under  her  influence  at  Grande  L,igue,  as  well  as  by  all 


1  62  MADAME   FELLER. 

those  who  know  her.  Added  to  institute  duties,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Roux  keep  a  summer  school  in  which  are 
taught  modern  languages  ;  Mrs.  Roux  doing  her  share 
of  the  teaching." 


Rev.  A.  L.  Therrien  was  converted  when  very 
young,  and  came  to  Grande  L/igne  Mission  Institute, 
where  he  made  considerable  progress  in  his  studies 
under  the  direction  of  Prof.  Louis  Pollens,  late  of 
Dartmouth  College,  and  received  a  great  impulse  in 
his  moral  and  religious  life  under  the  influence  of 
Madame  Feller,  and  of  Rev.  Louis  Roussy,  then  pas- 
tor of  the  Institute.  For  a  time  it  was  contemplated 
to  send  him  to  Switzerland  to  attend  a  College  and 
a  Divinity  course,  but  circumstances  led  him  into 
the  United  States,  where  he  continued  some  studies, 
whilst  engaged  in  missionary  work  and  maintaining 
very  cordial  relations  with  his  two  venerable  friends 
at  Grande  Ligne.  Several  letters  addressed  by  him 
to  Madame  Feller  betray  a  real  talent  as  an  episto- 
lary writer,  much  earnestness  and  a  deep  or  genuine 
religious  enthusiasm.  At  the  death  of  that  Mother  in 
Israel,  and  after  he  had  labored  as  an  evangelist  one 
year  in  Vermont  and  four  years  in  St.  Constant,  P.  Q., 
the  Grande  L/igne  Mission  Board  placed  him  at  the 
old  and  important  station  of  St.  Pie,  where  he  was 
ordained  in  1870.  His  labors  there  and  in  the  sur- 
rounding localities  were  abundantly  blessed,  but  "  to 
our  great  regret,"  says  the  Mission  Report  for  the 
year  1873,  "he  has  left  our  Society  to  accept  the  re- 


A  MEMORIAL.  163 

peated  and  pressing  call  from  the  Baptist  Church, 
Burlington,  Vermont,  to  become  their  laborer  among 
the  French  population  of  that  thriving  city.  Reasons 
of  health  and  family  circumstances  have  decided  our 
gifted  brother  to  part  with  us  for  a  time  at  least,  and 
thus  leave  us  weaker  than  we  ought  to  be  to  pursue 
our  great  work  here  in  the  Mission,  which  is  the 
mother  of  all  other  French  Missions  in  Canada. 
May  the  Lord  abundantly  bless  his  labors  among 
his  own  people  there !  " 

Mr.  Therrien's  ministry  at  Burlington  was  a  real 
blessing  to  the  French  people  he  evangelized  and  fed 
with  the  living  Bread,  to  the  great  Baptist  church 
his  simple,  humble  and  ardent  piety  stirred  up,  and 
last,  not  -least,  to  himself.  For  in  the  sweet  fellow- 
ship of  Dr.  M.  A.  Willcox,  then  the  eminent  pastor  of 
that  model  church,  he  no  doubt  gleaned  and  stored 
up  much  he  would  have  found  in  Switzerland,  and 
was  thus  ripening  for  the  larger  sphere  of  activity 
which  the  head  of  the  Church  was  preparing  for 
him. 

For  the  year  1879  the  Lord  was  pleased  to  answer 
the  prayers  of  the  missionaries  at  Grande  Ligne  by 
vouchsafing  them  what  Mr.  Roussy  called  "  the  grand- 
est awakening  since  the  beginning  of  the  mission 
work  in  Canada."  Mr.  Therrien,  whom  the  mission- 
aries had  invited  to  come  and  help  them  in  their 
work,  answered  the  call  and  spent  two  weeks  at 
Grande  Ligne,  devoting  all  his  time  in  preaching, 
conversation  and  visiting.  From  the  first  day  the 
Lord  made  His  holy  presence  felt.  His  Spirit  moved 
upon  the  hearts  both  of  the  church  and  of  the  con- 


164  MADAME   FELLER. 

gregation.  There  were  moments  of  such  solemnity 
that  the  plain  room  seemed  to  many  the  House  of 
God  and  the  Gate  of  Heaven.  Forty-three  made 
profession  of  their  faith  by  baptism. 

In  view  of  such  unmistakable  sign  from  heaven 
Mr.  Therrien  no  longer  hesitated.  He  returned  to 
Canada  and  settled  in  Montreal,  helping  Mr.  Lafleur 
a  portion  of  his  time,  and  having  pastoral  charge  of 
the  surrounding  localities.  After  the  death  of  Mr. 
Roussy  the  church  and  congregation  of  Grande  Ljgne 
called  him  as  pastor  among  them. 

During  his  five  years'  pastorate  on  that  important 
field  the  church  was  thoroughly  organized  as  a  regu- 
lar Baptist  church ;  a  new  and  beautiful  church  build- 
ing, called  the  Roussy  Memorial  Church,  was  built ; 
an  important  revival  took  place ;  a  public  discussion 
with  a  fervent  disciple  of  L,eo  XIII.  was  held  in  the 
schoolroom  of  the  Institute,  before  a  large  congrega- 
tion composed  of  both  Catholics  and  Protestants,  and 
produced  an  excellent  effect  upon  the  former.  Father 
N.  Gregoire,  of  the  Order  of  the  Oblats,  was  con- 
verted, baptized,  and  later  on  ordained,  and  the  whole 
field,  Institute,  church,  and  congregation  gave  evident 
signs  of  mental,  moral  and  religious  improvement. 

But  Rev.  Mr.  Lafleur  having  resigned  the  pastor- 
ate of  the  church  of  Montreal,  Mr.  Therrien  was 
called  by  the  Board  to  that  charge  on  the  ist  of 
May,  1886.  And  there  he  is  still,  in  that  imperial 
city  of  Canada,  in  that  Rome  of  the  West,  leading  the 
small  but  energetic  French  Baptist  church  in  every 
department  of  evangelization :  Bible  Woman's  Work, 
Temperance,  Evening  Conferences,  Controversy,  Sun- 


MRS.  THERRIEN. 


REV.  A.  L.  THERRIEN. 


A    MEMORIAL.  165 

day-school,  Visiting,  Preaching  in  Montreal,  Sorel, 
Maskinonge,  and  doing  the  work  of  the  Lord  here, 
there  and  everywhere. 

May  the  Lord  of  the  harvest  send  many  such  labor- 
ers into  His  harvest  !  For  great  is  the  field  ;  but  how 
few  the  laborers  ! 

Mrs.  Therrien,  his  wife,  is  the  daughter  of  the  late 
Abraham  Fisk,  of  Abbottsford,  P.  Q.,  and  has  many 
relatives  of  that  name  in  Canada,  the  United  States 
and  England.  Though  English  is  her  mother  tongue, 
she  speaks  French  fluently.  Her  musical  talents  and 
her  deep  interest  in  every  good  work  have  made  her  a 
fit  and  very  helpful  companion  for  a  missionary  pastor. 
She  takes  a  great  interest  in  the  temperance  work,  and 
is  now  president  of  the  French  branch  of  the  W.  C.  T. 
U.  of  Montreal,  the  only  branch  of  that  nationality  on 
the  continent.  She  also  takes  great  interest  in  the 
work  of  Missions,  and  has  often  been  called  to  address 
public  meetings  ;  a  thing  she  is  well  qualified  to  do. 
She  has  entered  heart  and  soul  in  her  husband's  work 
and  cheered  and  encouraged  him  in  his  arduous  and 
often  discouraging  labors. 


M.  O.  Therrien  is  seven  years  the  senior  of  his 
brother,  A.  L,.  Therrien.  He  went  to  Grande  L,igne 
School,  where  he  distinguished  himself  both  as  to  his 
Christian  character  and  as  a  student  of  diligence  and 
ability.  He  was  a  great  favorite  with  Madame  Feller 
and  all  the  teachers,  as  well  as  the  students.  He 
early  in  his  Christian  life  manifested  a  deep  interest 


1 66  MADAME   FEL,L,ER. 

in  the  work  of  evangelization.  His  talents  were  such 
that  great  hopes  were  entertained  as  to  his  future. 

But  while  still  a  student  a  disease,  which  has 
clung  to  him  up  to  the  present  time,  began  to  work 
havoc  on  his  physical  frame  and,  to  some  extent,  his 
faculties,  especially  his  memory.  This  occasioned  him 
to  give  up  the  idea  of  entering  the  missionary  work, 
and  at  two  different  times  he  went  to  the  United 
States  to  gain  his  livelihood.  In  the  meantime  his 
zeal  for  God's  cause  never  fagged,  and  after  he  had 
devoted  a  few  years  to  teaching  and  other  work,  he 
was  led  to  reeuter  the  work  as  an  evangelist,  in  the 
old  sense  of  the  word.  He  has  been  stationed  at 
various  points,  such  as  Henryville,  St.  Pie,  Ely,  Ma- 
gog, and  he  is  now  laboring  with  great  earnestness 
in  the  nourishing  town  of  Sherbrooke.  Mr.  Therrien 
has  always  shown  a  particular  gift  to  talk  with  Rom- 
anists. His  fairness  and  kindly  spirit,  as  well  as  his 
love  of  the  truth,  soon  win  for  him  the  confidence 
and  respect  of  those  he  approaches  with  the  Gospel. 

During  his  student  career,  at  the  peril  of  his  own 
life,  he  attempted,  though  without  success,  to  save 
his  brother  Apollinaire's  life.  This  brother  of  his, 
two  years  older  than  himself,  was  also  a  student  for 
the  ministry  at  Grande  L,igne.  After  passing  brilliant 
examinations  he  went  with  M.  O.  to  bathe  in  the 
Richelieu  River  at  St.  Johns,  where  he  lost  his  life 
by  drowning.  So  great  was  Madame  Feller's  love  for 
this  brother  also  that  when  the  news  of  the  fatal  ac- 
cident was  communicated  to  her  she  fainted  away. 
On  another  occasion,  at  the  peril  of  his  life  again, 
M.  O.  saved  his  youngest  brother  A.  I/,  from  what 


A    MEMORIAL,.  167 

would  have  been  a  watery  grave.  The  great  wonder 
of  his  friends  is  that  notwithstanding  the  disease  that 
for  so  many  years  has  preyed  upon,  the  subject  of 
this  notice,  he  has  been  so  wonderfully  preserved  and 
enabled  to  do  as  much  as  he  has. 


Mr.  Williams  was  born  near  Napierville,  Province 
of  Quebec,  of  American  parents,  was  admitted  at  a 
very  tender  age  into  the  Grande  L,igne  Mission  In- 
stitute, where  he  was  converted  and  where  he  made 
brilliant  studies,  which  he  completed  at  Rochester 
Theological  Seminary,  N.  Y.,  from  which  he  graduated 
with  honors. 

Soon  afterward  he  was  ordained,  and  speaking 
fluently  and  correctly  the  French  and  English  lan- 
guages he  was  able  to  preach  the  everlasting  Gospel 
to  both  his  French  and  English  countrymen.  This 
he  did  in  Granby,  in  Montreal,  and  in  the  townships. 

In  the  year  18  —  he  was  called  to  the  pastorate 
of  the  English  Baptist  church  of  Montreal,  which  he 
accepted  without  relaxing  his  exertions  for  the  spirit- 
ual welfare  of  the  French  Canadians,  with  whom  he 
was  always  a  great  favorite  on  account  of  his  urban- 
ity, his  gentleness,  his  deep  piety  and  his  genuine 
humility  combined  with  great  and  sound  learning. 
Being  born  a  Protestant,  they  could  not  reproach  him 
lor  abandoning  their  faith.  And  though  being  of 
Anglo-Saxon  origin,  he  spoke  and  wrote  the  language 
of  old  France  so  purely  and  in  such  a  pleasant  man- 
ner as  to  increase  their  admiration  for  him. 


1 68  MADAME 

The  founder  of  the  Semeur  Canadien,  the  first 
French  Protestant  paper  published  on  this  continent, 
the  late  Rev.  Narcisse  Cyr,  having  removed  into  the 
United  States,  Mr.  Williams  continued  the  publication 
of  the  paper,  putting  into  this  new  work  the  same 
talent,  energy,  self-sacrifice  and  long  suffering  which 
have  endeared  his  name  everywhere  in  Canada. 

However,  the  L,ord  had  for  him  another  and  more 
important  work  in  the  United  States.  The  greatest 
portion  of  the  persons  converted  from  Popery  through 
the  instrumentality  of  the  Grande  Ligne  missionaries 
had  been  compelled  by  petty  annoyances,  direct  per- 
secutions, or  boycotting,  to  emigrate  there  in  order  to 
find  work,  liberty,  and  peace.  They  were  scattered 
all  over  New  England  ;  many,  well  familiar  with  the 
English  language,  had  joined  some  American  church- 
es, but  a  great  many  more,  ignorant  of  that  language, 
found  themselves  deprived  of  public  worship  and  pas- 
toral care. 

It  was  then  that  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mis- 
sion Society,  which  had  so  nobly  and  so  generously 
helped  the  cause  of  the  Gospel  in  the  Province  of 
Quebec,  through  the  Grande  L/igne  Mission  Society, 
felt  impelled  to  look  after  these  precious  souls,  and 
asked  Mr.  Williams  to  come,  in  order  to  visit,  to  con- 
sole, to  strengthen,  to  feed,  to  build  them  up  in  the 
faith  of  Jesus  Christ  as  their  Savior  and  their  per- 
sonal friend. 

Mr.  Williams  obeyed  this  "  Macedonian  Call."  Un- 
der his  able,  untiring,  tender  leadership  many  church- 
es have  been  organized,  remarkable  conversions  have 
taken  place ;  a  French  department  has  been  founded 


A   MEMORIAL.  169 

at  Newton  Theological  Seminary  and  placed  under 
his  charge,  where  a  goodly  number  of  pious,  earnest, 
intelligent  and  faithful  young  men  have  been  pre- 
pared, and  are  being  prepared,  for  the  ministry  of 
the  Gospel. 

But  more  than  all  that,  Mr.  Williams,  with  his 
noble  band  of  old  and  new  missionaries,  has  been 
able  to  turn  these  numerous  pilgrims  from  our  Cana- 
dian Baptist  churches  or  stations,  who  were  lost  and, 
as  it  were,  helpless,  in  the  villages,  towns  and  cities  of 
Massachusetts,  Connecticut,  Rhode  Island  and  Maine, 
to  turn  them,  I  say,  into  a  pure,  useful,  and  at  times 
mighty  leaven  for  the  spread  of  the  Gospel  among  the 
ever-increasing  crowd  of  French  Canadians.  These 
are,  most  of  them,  submissively  following  the  bid- 
dings of  a  blind  hierarchy,  which  expects  that  the 
British  Empire,  and  this  great  Republic,  "  deceived  by 
its  power,  and  signs  and  lying  wonders,"  will  before 
long  apostatize  from  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  who 
through  His  Word  has  made  them  free. 

Mr.  Williams  himself  thus  acknowledges  the  in- 
fluence of  "  those  scattered  abroad,"  but  now  united: 
"  In  this  field  of  labor  I  am  impressed  with  the  im- 
portance of  the  missionary  work  in  Canada,  even  more 
deeply  than  when  I  was  in  the  Grande  L,igne  Mis- 
sion. For  I  am  constantly  finding  in  New  England 
the  fruits  of  that  Mission  occupying  positions  of  in- 
fluence here,  forming  in  centers  of  French  Canadian 
population  a  nucleus,  here  and  there,  of  persons  some- 
what educated,  having  had  the  advantage  of  our  Mis- 
sion schools,  and  who  have  thus  been  fitted  to  be 
fellow  laborers  with  me,  and  leaders  in  the  work  of 


170  MADAME 

the  localities  in  which  they  live.  They  are  able  to 
assist  in  singing,  and  in  prayer-meetings,  which  serv- 
ice more  recent  converts  know  nothing  about.  Thus, 
thanks  to  those  schools,  we  find,  as  we  lift  up  the  ban- 
ner of  the  Gospel  in  centers  of  French  people,  a  few 
experienced  champions  of  the  truth,  who  in  our  work 
occupy  somewhat  the  position  the  West  Point  grad- 
uates did  in  the  army ;  and  I  am  led  to  feel  thankful 
that  there  have  been  for  years  past,  in  Canada,  such 
schools  as  Grande  L,igne,  L,ongueuil,  and  others." 

Our  venerable  brother  is  still  in  the  harness.  May 
our  glorious  King  and  Friend  keep  him  many,  many 
years  more  at  his  post  of  honor  and  responsibility ! 


A   MEMORIAL.  171 


XIII. 

gttotru  of  pta#ktnxm0**—  THE  VILLAGE; 

"THE  CURSED  CHAPEL";  IMPRESSIVE 
BAPTISM;  CHANGES  OF  FAITH  AND 
CHURCH;  PRIEST -CRAFT  vs.  CHRIS- 
TIAN COURAGE. 

THE  story  of  Maskinonge,  a  very  stronghold  of 
Romanism  which  was  taken  by  an  open  and  in 
every  respect  justifiable  movement  that  originated  in 
the  Grande  Ligne  Mission,  fitly  represents  the  work 
which  this  volume  is  intended  to  narrate.  Rev.  W.  S. 
Bullock,  for  five  years  missionary  there,  gives  this 
information : 

"  Maskinonge  is  a  large  and  wealthy  parish,  sit- 
uated in  the  diocese  of  Three  Rivers,  in  the  very  heart 
of  French  Catholic  Canada,  about  half-way  between 
Montreal  and  Quebec.  The  village  numbers  about 
one  thousand  souls,  and  is  divided,  as  is  also  the  par- 
ish, by  a  small  river  flowing  down  from  the  Lauren- 
tian  range,  about  twenty  miles  north.  On  the  west 
side  of  the  river  stands  the  magnificent  Roman  Catho- 
lic church  and  presbytery,  which  cost  $57,000.  On 
the  east  side,  and  just  opposite,  stands  the  French 
Baptist  church  and  parsonage,  built  at  a  cost  of 
$4,500.  Each  represents  a  great  religious  army  de- 
sirous of  overcoming  the  other.  The  spire  of  the  one 


172  MADAME   FELLER. 

towers  up  two  hundred  feet  into  the  air,  presenting  a 
massive  stone  front.  The  other  is  a  small,  unassum- 
ing building  of  wood,  scarcely  fifty  feet  in  height. 

"  This  diocese  of  Three  Rivers  is  considered  to  be 
the  most  Catholic  in  the  Dominion.  Bishop  L,afleche 
recently  said,  in  a  sermon,  that  the  Lord  had  greatly 
favored  him  in  committing  to  his  care  one  of  the 
most  Catholic  dioceses  in  the  world,  if  not  absolutely 
the  most  Catholic.  Six  years  ago  there  was  only  one 
Protestant  in  the  parish  of  Maskinonge — a  Scotch 
Presbyterian.  All  the  others,  men,  women  and  chil- 
dren, were  sincere  believers  in  and  followers  of  the 
teaching  of  their  priests.  Never  had  a  Bible  been 
sold  in  the  parish,  although  our  colporters  had  made 
repeated  attempts  for  over  forty  years.  The  priest's 
will  was  always  supreme,  and  he  himself  was  regard- 
ed as  a  demi-god.  The  word  '  Protestant '  was  synon- 
ymous with  '  demon.'  They  had  heard  of  Protest- 
ants, z.  <?.,  '  followers  of  the  apostate  Chiniquy,'  but 
none  of  these  hideous  creatures  had  been  seen." 

The  following  account  of  the  "  movement,"  with 
sketches,  was  reported  for  the  Montreal  Daily  Star, 
by  a  Roman  Catholic,  and  published  the  next  day  after 
the  occurrence,  August  26,  1892,  as  an  "Impressive 
Event."  This  deviation  of  the  narrative  is  pardon- 
able, since  it  shows  how  the  affair  was  viewed  from 
the  outside,  while  the  account  has  an  air  of  candor 
and  an  attention  to  particulars  that  point  to  its  im- 
portance and  show  how  the  ordinance  first  appears 
to  one  who  had  not  witnessed  it  before : 

Maskinonge  has  now  a  Baptist  Church  and  a  Baptist 
congregation.  This  is  the  first  time  this  occurs  in  its 


A    MKMORIAL.  173 

history.  The  church  is  what  was  last  year  styled  "I,a 
Chapelle  Mandite,"  or  "  Cursed  Chapel."  Yesterday  after- 
noon the  final  separation  from  the  Roman  Catholic  Church 
took  place.  The  quiet  village  has  rarely  witnessed  an 
event  which  created  such  a  profound  impression  on  the 
population. 

The  chapel  is  a  wooden  building  with  a  seating  capac- 
ity of  about  three  hundred.  It  is  scrupulously  clean 
and  plain.  It  was  erected  last  year  by  some  200  heads  of 
families,  who  paid  up  about  half  its  value.  It  is  valued 
at  $1500.  It  is  erected  on  land  purchased  by  the  villagers 
and  given  to  the  Bishop  of  Three  Rivers  for  the  erection 
of  the  new  Catholic  church,  the  old  one,  two  miles  away, 
having  become  too  small  for  the  increased  population. 
Two  years  ago,  at  the  time  that  Mgr.  Lafleche  visited 
Maskinonge,  he  blessed  the  ground  on  which  the  chapel 
now  stands,  and  a  cross  being  erected  declared  that  it 
would  be  the  site  of  the  new  church.  Subsequently  the 
majority  of  the  parish,  largely  farmers  residing  beyond 
the  limits  of  the  village,  decided  that  the  church  should 
be  erected  on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  on  the  spot 
where  it  now  stands.  The  dissenters  charged  that  the 
change  had  been  made  at  the  instigation  of  the  parish 
priest,  though  this  has  been  denied.  The  Bishop  de- 
clared that  he  had  no  option  but  to  give  in  to  the  will  of 
the  majority.  The  trustees  borrowed  $40,000  and  started 
the  new  church,  which  will  be  open  for  worship  in  Octo- 
ber. The  villagers  then  erected  this  chapel.  They  pro- 
vided it  with  an  altar  and  all  that  is  to  be  found  in  an 
orthodox  Catholic  church.  For  months  hundreds  of  them 
met  there  every  Sunday,  chanted  hymns  and  recited  their 
beads  and  prayers.  The  tapers  on  the  altars  were  lighted 
and  all  was  in  readiness  for  the  priest,  who  never  came. 
Early  in  July  of  last  year  the  Rev.  Father  Hendricks,  of 
the  Redemptorist  Order,  went  to  Maskinonge  to  preach 


174  MADAME   FELLER. 

a  retreat.  When  he  arrived  there  he  declared  that  he 
would  go  to  the  dissenters'  chapel  on  a  Sunday  morning 
as  the  people  had  met  for  public  worship,  declaring  that 
he  would  be  able  to  bring  them  all  back  to  the  parochial 
church.  The  people  were  on  their  knees  in  prayer  when 
the  priest  entered.  He  walked  to  the  altar  railings,  when 
he  was  asked  if  he  had  come  to  bless  the  chapel.  Then 
a  scene  of  great  excitement  followed  as  the  priest,  hold- 
ing his  crucifix  in  his  uplifted  right  hand,  said  that  they 
were  committing  a  great  sin  and  that  their  meeting-place 
instead  of  being  blessed  was  cursed.  A  scene  of  great 
disorder  followed,  many  of  the  women  fainting.  It  was 
only  with  great  energy  that  some  were  restrained  from 
using  violence.  The  priest  left  the  chapel  and  none  fol- 
lowed him  to  the  church.  For  months  after  people  met 
again  in  the  chapel  for  prayers,  but  their  number  dwin- 
dled every  succeeding  week.  The  women  remained  away, 
going  quietly  in  the  early  hours  to  low  mass  at  the  pa- 
rochial church.  Some  of  the  former  dissenters  did  not  go 
to  any  place  of  worship,  and  such  is  the  case  to-day.  In 
November  last  the  Rev.  Mr.  Burwash,  of  Grande  Ligne 
Mission,  appeared  on  the  scene.  At  first  the  people  did 
not  want  to  have  anything  to  do  with  him,  many  say- 
ing :  "  We  are  Catholics,  and  we  intend  remaining  Cath- 
olics." After  a  time,  however,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Burwash  vis- 
ited the  chapel  regularly  and  preached  to  those  present. 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Therrien  did  the  same,  as  did  also  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Bullock,  the  minister  now  in  charge  of  the  church. 
Finally  a  congregation  was  formed,  numbering  thirty, 
though  as  many  as  ninety  have  attended  some  of  the 
meetings. 

A  great  change  has  occurred  at  the  chapel.  The  altar 
and  all  emblems  of  Catholic  faith  have  been  removed. 
The  chapel  itself  was  partitioned  off,  and  a  platform 
erected  in  the  present  end  of  it.  During  the  morning  a 


A    MEMORIAL.  175 

great  deal  of  speculation  was  indulged  in  as  to  who  would 
join  the  new  faith.  The  number  was  put  at  13.  At  two 
o'clock  the  service  commenced,  the  chapel  being  filled  by 
over  two  hundred  people,  a  large  number  being  attracted 
by  curiosity.  Ten  men  and  one  woman,  all  attired  in 
black  flowing  robes,  filed  into  the  chapel  from  the  rear 
and  took  up  the  two  front  pews.  These  were  the  new 
converts.  The  Rev.  Messrs.  Lafleur,  Therrien,  Bullock 
and  Masse  occupied  seats  on  the  platform.  A  choir  of 
ladies,  aided  by  a  harmonium,  chanted  several  evangelical 
hymns.  The  entire  service  was  in  French.  The  Rev. 
Mr.  L,afleur  led  in  prayer  and  asked  the  special  blessing 
of  heaven  on  that  solemn  occasion.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Masse 
read,  selecting  from  St.  Paul's  Epistle  to  the  Romans. 
Then  the  Rev.  Mr.  Therrien  preached,  taking  for  his  text 
St.  Matthew,  chapter  xxviii,  verses  19  and  20:  "Go  ye, 
therefore,  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the 
name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  teaching  them  to  observe  all  things,  whatsoever 
I  have  commanded  you ;  and,  lo !  I  am  with  you  always, 
even  unto  the  end  of  the  world.  Amen." 

The  sermon  was  an  eloquent  one  and  produced  much 
effect.  At  its  conclusion  he  addressed  those  about  to  be 
baptized,  telling  them  that  though  they  might  be  sneered 
at  they  should  not  be  ashamed  of  what  they  were  doing; 
Christ  himself  had  gone  through  the  same  ceremony. 

The  time  for  the  baptismal  ceremony  had  now  ar- 
rived. Subdued  excitement  reigned  in  the  chapel.  The 
people  stood  up.  The  platform  was  cleared,  the  desk  and 
chairs  being  removed.  It  was  opened  up  and  a  large 
zinc  basin,  some  four  feet  deep,  fifteen  feet  long  and  four 
feet  wide,  was  revealed.  It  contained  water  three  feet 
deep.  The  Rev.  A.  L.  Therrien  descended  into  it  from 
the  rear.  Then  the  solemn  moment  arrived.  One  by  one 
the  ten  men  appeared,  descended  the  short  stairs  into  the 


176  MADAME   FELLER. 

water,  Mr.  Therrien  leading  them  by  the  hand.  They 
stood  in  the  centre  for  a  moment.  They  made  their  pro- 
fession of  faith  according  to  the  Baptist  ritual.  Then 
Mr.  Therrien,  putting  his  hands  on  their  shoulders  and 
breast,  turned  them  backwards  full  length  into  the  water 
until  they  were  entirely  immersed.  A  moment  after,  he 
raised  them  up,  and,  wiping  their  faces,  led  them  on  to 
the  end  of  the  reservoir,  where  Mr.  Bullock  assisted  them 
out  into  the  rear,  where  they  removed  their  wet  attire. 
Just  as  they  were  aboxit  to  be  immersed  Mr.  Therrien 
would  end  by  saying :  "I  baptize  you  in  the  name  of 
the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  The 
new  converts  were  evidently  laboring  under  great  excite- 
met  during  this  ceremony.  The  event  created  a  profound 
impression  among  the  Catholic  members  of  the  families 
concerned.  After  the  baptismal  ceremony  was  over  the 
chapel  was  erected  into  a  Baptist  church  in  accordance 
with  the  usual  formula.  The  services  were  witnessed 
and  helped  by  a  large  number,  ministers  and  others,  from 
Montreal  and  other  places. 

This  remarkable  change  of  faith  was  one  of  the 
most  surprising  circumstances  that  ever  occurred  in 
Canada,  and,  it  may  be,  in  any  Catholic  country ;  not 
less  to  the  subjects  of  it  than  to  others.  The  con- 
verts had  been  among  the  most  zealous  of  the  com- 
munity in  completing  the  edifice,  as  strictly  a  Rom- 
anist church ;  had  declared  their  intention  of  remain- 
ing in  the  Catholic  fold,  and,  on  being  visited  by  the 
missionary,  Mr.  Burwash,  performed  the  customary 
Romish  devotions  ere  he  was  permitted  to  proceed 
with  evangelical  services.  On  being  converted  they 
felt  a  joy  they  had  never  experienced,  and  all  the 
religion  they  had  known  before  seemed  to  be  serious 


FRENCH  BAPTIST  CHURCH,  GRANDE  LIGNE. 


FRENCH  BAPTIST  CHURCH,  MASKINONGE. 


A   MEMORIAL.  177 

mockery.  They  were  indignant,  even,  at  the  impo- 
sition practiced  upon  them,  and  the  very  men  who 
had  affirmed  their  unwavering  adherence  to  Cathol- 
icism, went  into  the  church,  took  down  the  altar, 
broke  it  up  for  kindling  wood,  and  removed  every 
emblem  of  Romanism,  including  crucifix,  pictures 
and  images. 

The  church  was  remodeled  and  adapted  to  use  as 
a  Baptist  house  of  worship.  A  baptistery  was  builded 
in  the  alcove,  "  so  that  the  ordinance  might  be  ob- 
served according  to  Apostolic  practice,  having  given 
up  the  traditions  of  the  fathers  for  the  teachings  of 
the  forefathers.  For  some  days  before  the  organiza- 
tion was  accomplished,  three  or  four  priests  made  a 
house-to-house  canvass,  and  endeavored  to  dissuade 
the  people  from  carrying  out  their  purpose.  The 
converts  testified  that  they  were  not  changing  their 
faith  out  of  ill-will,  but  compelled  to  do  so  through 
God's  word  and  an  enlightened  conscience."  And  it 
is  noteworthy  that  these  believers  were  believers  in- 
deed, not  children.  Nor  could  they  have  been  taunted 
as  "  women  and  children  "  only,  for  of  the  eleven  ten 
were  men,  whose  ages  ranged  from  twenty-five  to 
sixty-five,  and  seven  of  whom  were  married  and 
heads  of  families.  The  intelligence  and  manly  bear- 
ing of  these  men  impressed  the  Catholic  reporter  and 
others  who  referred  to  the  "  impressive  event." 

Father  Hendricks  practised  craft  in  private  and 
openly  invoked  the  wrath  of  heaven  upon  the  meek 
disciples,  but  the  result  was  only  a  firmer  revolt.  He 
held  a  nine  days'  retraite  among  them — a  period  for 
penitence  and  solitary  renewal  of  vows — by  means  of 


178  MADAME 

which  he  hoped  to  recover  them.  In  this  he  failed. 
Rev.  W.  S.  Bullock,  having  been  sent  to  the  field 
from  Grande  Ligne,  had  the  courage  of  his  calling. 
He  resisted  the  admonitions  of  the  timid  and  the  de- 
nunciations of  the  bishop ;  was  permitted  to  see  a 
constituent  church  membership  of  eleven,  an  addition 
of  five  the  next  year,  then  two,  then  another  and  an- 
other. And  after  five  years  of  valiant  service  he  has 
yielded  the  field  to  another.  In  this  period  of  time, 
says  the  Annual  Report  of  the  Grande  Ligne  Board 
for  1897,  "  the  members  have  grown  from  tottering 
infants  in  faith  to  manhood  in  Christ,  and  the  Cath- 
olic community  have  come  to  thoroughly  respect  the 
Protestants  and  their  religion."  Miss  S.  Piche,  one 
of  the  successful  teachers  of  the  Institute  at  Grande 
L,igne,  was  sent  with  Mr.  Bullock  to  conduct  a  school 
for  the  children.  At  this  writing  Rev.  Leonard  A. 
Therrien,  son  of  Rev.  A.  L,.  Therrien,  mans  the  post. 
His  ordination  "was  a  great  occasion  in  the  com- 
munity and  a  matter  of  astonishment  to  the  Cath- 
olics." 

Rev.  E.  Bosworth,  Field  Secretary,  expresses  a 
contrast  based  upon  observation  in  1897  : 

"  Maskinonge  is  but  a  small  village,  and  yet  the 
church  is  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  long,  sixty-four 
feet  wide  and  seventy  feet  high,  having  two  spires 
rearing  their  heads  heavenward  one  hundred  and 
eighty-one  feet.  There  is  also  a  vestry  fifty-four  feet 
long  by  thirty-five  feet  wide.  It  will  seat  over  nine 
hundred  persons  and  has  standing-room  for  many 
more  in  its  wide  aisles.  The  total  cost  was  $56,000, 
of  which  sum  $30,000  is  to  be  paid  in  taxes  spread- 


A   MEMORIAL.  179 

ing  over  a  term  of  twelve  years,  just  as  in  Ontario 
we  would  pay  for  some  public  improvement.  The 
church  officers  must  provide  for  the  interest  on  the 
remaining  $26,000  by  pew  rentals,  etc.,  the  principal 
sum  to  be  provided  for  later  on.  What  a  strange 
contrast,  both  in  appearance,  size,  and  method  of  pay- 
ment, is  the  charming  little  Baptist  church  in  that 
village,  which,  by  the  kindness  of  God  through  His 
people,  our  own  little  band  call  their  church-home." 


l8o  MADAME   FELLER. 


XIV. 


—  ITS 

HOMES  AND  LANDS;  FARMING  CUS- 
TOMS; QUEBEC—  ITS  TREND  AND 
NEED;  STONING  THE  PROPHETS. 


French  Canadians  are  found,  chiefly,  in  the 
province  of  Quebec,  of  which  Voltaire  contemp- 
tuously said  in  1763,  after  its  cession  to  England: 
'  Only  a  few  thousand  acres  of  snow  !  '  Superabundant 
snow,  indeed,  in  winter;  but  in  summer  a  land  that 
compares  favorably  with  the  northern  regions  of  New 
England.  The  region  south  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  about 
fifty  by  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  between  Montreal 
and  the  boundary  of  the  United  States,  is  very  fertile, 
as  also  some  sections  north  of  the  river.  Below  Quebec 
the  soil  is  poorer.  Her  great  pine  forests  have  been  a 
source  of  wealth. 

"  To  one  from  the  United  States,  accustomed  to 
spacious  yards  and  broad  farms,  and  going  directly  from 
the  tidy,  thrifty,  tasteful  homes  and  farms  and  villages 
of  New  England,  Canadian  scenes  present  painful  con- 
trasts. The  rural  residence  is  usually  a  small  one-story 
building,  sometimes  white-washed,  perhaps  a  dormer 
window  or  two  in  the  garret  ;  standing  bleak  and  bare 
to  every  wind  that  blows.  Seldom  is  a  shrub  or  tree 
to  be  seen  about  the  barren  house.  The  farm 


A   MEMORIAL.  l8l 

houses  are  studded  along  the  highways  like  beads  on 
a  string.  Farms  generally  have  a  frontage  of  about 
sixteen  or  twenty  rods  on  the  road  and  run  back  like 
ribbons,  often  two  or  three  miles.  This  has  resulted 
from  subdivisions  of  estates  for  the  children.  Neigh- 
bors are  within  easy  call  and  the  social  tastes  of  the 
people  are  met.  The  village  residence  ordinarily  is 
nearly  on  a  line  with  the  street  and  anything  but  at- 
tractive. In  the  country  you  may  see  women  in  the 
fields  binding  and  loading  the  grain  and  doing  other 
manual  labor." — H.  M.  Monthly. 

The  French  population  of  Canada  increases  with 
rapidity,  not  equaled  by  the  English  of  the  same  coun- 
try, nor  by  that  of  France.  There  has  been  no  emi- 
gration from  France  to  Canada  for  more  than  a  cen- 
tury, while  there  has  been  an  exodus  of  French  from 
Canada  to  the  United  States  of  half  a  million  in  that 
time  ;  yet  they  have  increased  considerably  in  Canada. 
The  families  are  notedly  large,  containing  ordinarily 
from  seven  to  twelve  children,  and  in  many  instances 
sixteen  to  twenty.  Some  one  has  pithily  said  that  "  the 
victory  won  by  the  men  of  the  English  race  upon  the 
plains  of  Abraham  is  avenged  by  the  women  of  the 
race  of  Montcalm." 

"  Naturally  enough,  a  people  thus  hemmed  in,  cor- 
ralled by  the  clergy,  breeding  in-and-in,  with  little  cross 
fertilization,  have  become  exceedingly  narrow  and  con- 
servative. Careful  observers  have  remarked  that 
'  Quebec  is  thoroughly  French — not  modern  French, 
but  French  of  the  seventeenth  century.  The  French- 
man remains  essentially  an  old-world  product.'  Cen- 
turies of  life  in  America,  though  modifying  his  man- 


1 82  MADAME    FELLER. 

ners  and  conditions,  have  not  essentially  changed  the 
old  Normandy  French  type.  He  does  not  take  easily 
to  new-fangled  notions  in  agriculture,  business  or  reli- 
gion. It  was  only  through  tremendous  effort  that  Mr. 
Ayer,  of  Montreal,  induced  the  farmers  in  the  splendid 
pastoral  regions  below  to  turn  their  attention  to  butter 
and  cheese-making  instead  of  going  on  in  the  simple 
manner  of  old.  The  priests  themselves  fought  this  in- 
novation because  they  feared  that  their  tithes  from 
grain  would  be  lessened  with  the  development  of  this 
industry,  though  now  they  approve,  because  the  peo- 
ple have  more  ready  money  than  formerly." — H.  M. 
Monthly. 

Madame  Feller  felt  a  deep  interest  in  improving 
the  material  affairs  of  the  Canadians,  which,  she  ob- 
served, were  not  in  keeping  with  the  spirit  of  progress. 
As  early  as  1838  she  seems  to  have  gained  a  correct 
view  of  their  general  condition,  and  wrote:  "The 
Canadians  are  devoted  to  unchanged  routine.  They 
have  no  idea  of  doing  anything  differently  from  their 
grandfathers.  They  cultivate  and  crop  only  one  half 
of  their  farms  every  year,  leaving  the  other  half  to  their 
cattle ;  and  the  consequence  is  that,  though  a  man  may 
possess  a  hundred  arpents  (an  arpent  being  three  fourths 
of  an  English  acre),  he  is  very  probably  without  bread 
for  one  half  of  the  year.  We  have  persuaded  our  peo- 
ple this  year  to  plough  and  sow  all  their  land,  the 
meadows  only  excepted,  which  produce  abundant  crops 
of  hay.  This  is  an  innovation  and  is  regarded  as  a 
remarkable  event." 

She  likewise  advised  them  to  manure  their  fields, 
as  they  had  the  means  of  doing.  Dr.  Cramp  makes 


A    MEMORIAL.  183 

the  following  note :  "  It  was  no  uncommon  thing  at 
that  time  to  see  an  immense  dung-heap  at  the  stable 
door,  the  farmer  not  knowing  what  to  do  with  it,  unless 
the  farm  adjoined  the  river,  in  which  case  it  was  thrown 
into  the  water  and  floated  away.  Sometimes  the  heap 
at  length  blocked  up  the  entrance  to  the  stables,  and 
the  building  itself  was  removed  out  of  the  way. 

"  Riding  along  the  river  Richelieu  some  years  ago, 
the  writer  noticed  two  farms  of  about  the  same  size,  on 
the  same  kind  of  soil,  and  adjoining  one  another.  One 
exhibited  the  usual  impoverishment  of  a  Canadian 
farm.  Everything  looked  half-starved.  On  the  other, 
luxuriant  crops  were  growing.  An  Irishman  had 
bought  that  farm  three  years  before,  and  having  culti- 
vated it  in  a  proper  manner,  was  now  reaping  the 
reward  of  his  industry.  The  Canadian  looked  on,  won- 
dered, but  did  not  imitate.  The  spiritual  instructors 
discouraged  improvement  of  the  people.  They  might 
become  too  wise  !  " 

A  writer,  Mr.  Stobo,  in  the  Canadian  Baptist,  gives 
a  statement  of  the  present  outlook  for  French  evan- 
gelization in  the  Province  of  Quebec,  viz.  : 

The  Province  of  Quebec  is  the  oldest,  the  grandest 
and  most  interesting  of  all  the  Provinces  of  the  Domin- 
ion of  Canada,  not  only  on  account  of  its  past  relation 
to  the  North  American  Continent,  but  also  on  account 
of  its  present  relation  to  the  character  and  future  of 
Canada. 

Quebec  Province  has  a  territory  of  228,900  square 
miles,  divided  into  sixty-two  counties,  and  in  these  we 
have  a  population  of  1,488,535,  of  which  but  196,826  is 
Protestant,  or  less  than  one  seventh  of  the  whole,  and  only 


184  '       MADAME    FEU.ER. 

in  twelve  of  the  counties  have  we  any  attempt  made  to 
give  the  masses  of  the  people  the  Gospel  in  its  purity. 

If  what  is  known  as  evangelical  religion  is  of  God, 
and  is  the  need  of  all  the  races  of  man,  then  Quebec 
needs  the  Gospel  as  few  other  countries  do,  not  only  to 
reach  the  mass  of  the  people,  but  to  keep  evangelical 
piety  alive  in  the  breasts  of  the  few  who  have  an  open 
Bible  and  an  open  door  for  it.  No  Roman  Catholic  coun- 
try in  Europe,  save  Spain,  compares  with  Quebec  as  to 
ignorance,  superstition,  and  semi-paganism,  and  the  gross 
tyranny  of  its  priesthood.  In  fact  the  condition  of  things 
is  incredible. 

Quebec's  immense  population,  immense  for  a  Canadian 
Province,  is  alien  in  spirit  and  aspirations,  and  bound  to 
isolate  itself  from  all  else,  and  is  the  wedge  to  divide  and 
separate  the  Provinces  of  the  East  from  those  of  the 
West,  and  so  frustrate  the  design  of  a  British  Canadian 
nation  extending  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific.  The 
British  Canadian  in  Quebec  is  just  as  much  in  a  foreign 
country  today  as  if  he  were  in  France  or  Spain.  In 
language,  laws,  traditions,  and  religion  he  has  nothing 
in  common,  and  if  he  have  the  love  and  fear  of  God 
in  him  his  spirit  within  him  is  vexed  from  day  to  day 
by  the  sounds  which  he  hears  and  the  sights  which  he 
has  to  witness.  One  who  is  not  a  native  of  the  Province 
can  not  possibty  reconcile  himself  to  his  surroundings,  or 
see  things  with  the  eyes  of  a  native,  or  have  them  sit 
lightly  upon  him. 

If  there  be  no  need  today  to  evangelize  Rome  in 
Quebec,  on  Christian  and  patriotic  grounds,  there  was  no 
great  need  on  the  part  of  our  fathers  to  abandon  Rome, 
and  to  seal  their  protestations  against  her  soul-damning 
errors  with  their  life's  blood,  making  it  a  struggle  of  cen- 
turies. The  Romanism  of  their  day  was  a  mild,  harm- 
less thing  compared  with  that  of  today,  as  the  system,  if 


A   MEMORIAL.  185 

changed  at  all,  has  changed  for  the  worse,  as  to  both 
discipline  and  doctrine,  as  is  well  known  to  those  who 
have  lived  for  any  length  of  time  in  Roman  Catholic 
countries,  or  mingled  much  with  those  who  profess  the 
Roman  faith. 

Faith  in  Romanism  has  been  shaken  greatly  in 
the  Province  of  Quebec,  as  elsewhere ;  that  is,  in  the 
minds  of  its  formal  adherents.  Rev.  Theo.  Lafleur, 
in  reporting  on  the  Grande  Ljgne  Mission  for  1897, 
as  its  Secretary,  remarks  :  "  It  would  be  a  great  mis- 
take to  suppose  that  Roman  Catholicism  in  the  Prov- 
ince of  Quebec  actually  stands  for  a  compact  mass 
of  sincere  believers  in  its  doctrines  and  practices. 
The  political  arena  has  abundantly  shown  during  the 
past  year  or  two  that  the  people  dare  to  oppose  the 
clergy  in  political  and  educational  questions.  .  .  . 
In  old  France  we  have  a  milder  and  more  rational 
expression  of  Romanism  than  we  have  today  in 
Quebec,  and  yet  there  we  find,  and  in  the  very  bosom 
of  the  Church  itself,  a  notable  movement  led  by  L,'- 
Abbe  Garnier,  and  designated  '  L,igne  de  1'Evangele,' 
or  Gospel  League,  for  the  purification  of  Rome's  wor- 
ship. In  a  circular  issued  by  him  last  year,  in  favor 
of  a  movement  in  the  interests  of  a  more  rational  and 
purer  worship,  we  read  as  follows :  '  Piety  has  be- 
come something  exterior.  For  the  true  spirit  of 
Christianity  there  has  been  substituted  any  number 
of  petty  performances  to  which  people  cling  exclu- 
sively. It  is  a  devotion  of  chaplets,  of  medals,  of  scap- 
ularies,  of  the  month  of  Mary  and  the  Sacred  Heart, 
of  indulgences,  of  songs,  of  processions  and  confreries.' 
.  If  old  France  needs  L/Abbe  Garnier's  move- 


1 86  MADAME   FELLER. 

ment,  Quebec  needs  it  more.  If  such  an  appeal  as 
his  should  meet  with  a  hearty  and  somewhat  general 
response  from  Roman  Catholics,  should  we  not  see 
nothing  less  than  the  destruction  of  one  of  the  strong- 
est delusions  under  which  the  Prince  of  this  world 
keeps  millions  in  bondage?" 

Prof.  G.  N.  Masse,  principal  of  the  Grande  L,igne 
Institute,  a  "  thorough  Canadian,"  gives  a  concise 
statement  of  the  religious  condition  and  trend  in  the 
same  Province,  Quebec,  in  which  he  was  reared  and 
educated,  and  to  the  elevation  of  which  he  is  giving 
his  life: 

Nine  hundred  churches,  valued  at  over  $37,000,000, 
scattered  through  the  country;  900  parsonages,  with  the 
palaces  of  the  cardinal,  archbishops  and  bishops,  the 
whole  valued  at  $9,000,000  ;  twelve  seminaries,  worth 
$6,000,000 ;  seventeen  classical  colleges,  $850,000 ;  259 
boarding-schools  and  academies,  $6,000,000;  800  convents, 
$4,000,000 ;  and  sixty-eight  hospitals  and  asylums,  $4,500,- 
ooo ;  a  total  of  $61,950,000  in  church  property,  all  erected 
and  maintained  by  the  contributions  of  a  small  and  by 
no  means  rich  people,  serve  as  a  proof  of  what  has  been 
said.  People  do  not  give  to  nor  pay  for  things  in  which 
they  are  not  interested. 

The  regular  attendance  of  young  and  old  at  church 
services,  the  immense  throngs  of  people  yearly  crowding 
to  the  shrines  of  Notre  Dame  des  Lourdes,  Ste.  Anne  de 
Beaupre,  St.  Blaise,  and  others,  in  the  hope  of  obtaining 
bodily  and  other  blessings;  the  crosses  standing  along 
country  roads,  around  which  can  be  seen  almost  every 
night,  during  the  month  of  Mary  (May),  men,  women,  and 
children  kneeling  and  repeating  their  beads,  further  estab- 
lish the  fact. 


A    MEMORIAL.  187 

Although  the  people,  generally  speaking,  are  religious, 
much  attached  to  their  Church,  and  ready  to  fight  for  it, 
we  must  acknowledge  that  a  full  acceptance  of  the  dog- 
mas of  the  Church,  and  the  practice  of  its  teachings,  are 
to  be  found  only  among  women  (more  especially  those 
educated  at  the  convent),  children,  and  the  most  illiterate. 

By  an  abuse  of  their  power,  as  well  as  by  their  con- 
duct, sometimes  shameful,  the  clergy  are  driving  many 
of  the  faithful  into  open  rebellion  and  infidelity.  What 
took  place  in  France  may  happen  here,  unless  the  pure 
Gospel  is  preached  and  accepted. 

Among  the  educated  class  a  great  many  have  lost 
confidence  in  their  Church  and  in  religion  —  the  two 
things  are  one  in  their  minds,  and  such  are  seldom,  if 
ever,  seen  in  the  confessional,  and  almost  never  with 
beads  in  their  hands.  This  I  noticed,  not  long  ago,  while 
attending  the  funeral  of  an  uncle.  Among  those  present 
were  the  Prime  Minister  of  the  Province,  two  judges,  and 
several  lawyers  and  physicians.  While  others  turned 
their  rosaries  in  their  hands,  these  remained  motionless, 
listening,  with  more  or  less  interest,  to  the  music.  Not 
one  of  them  used  their  beads.  Let  us  trust  it  was  be- 
cause secretly  they  had  no  faith  in  the  "  vain  repeti- 
tions," knowing  full  well  they  would  not  be  heard  for 
their  "  much  speaking." 

The  city  of  Quebec,  known  the  world  over,  is  in 
some  particulars  the  most  noted  place  in  all  Canada. 
Its  long  and  peculiar  history  is  one  of  its  distinctions. 
The  site  was  originally  occupied  by  an  Indian  village, 
named  Stadacona,  and  was  discovered  by  Jacques 
Cartier  in  1535.  The  city  was  founded  by  Cham- 
plain  in  1608.  "  It  continued  to  be  the  center  of 
French  trade  and  civilization,  as  well  as  of  Roman 


1 88  MADAME   FELLER. 

Catholic  missions  in  North  America,  till  1759,  when 
it  fell  into  the  hands  of  Britain  by  the  memorable 
victory  of  Wolfe,  on  the  Heights  of  Abraham,  above 
the  city." 

The  unique  and  quaint  appearance  of  the  original 
part  of  this  old  city  is  another  of  its  distinguishing 
features.  Its  low,  steep-roofed,  dormered  dwellings, 
occupied,  with  slight  repairs,  from  time  immemorial, 
only  here  and  there  have  given  place  to  buildings  of 
modern  description.  And  as  change  has  been  resisted, 
locations  and  streets  continue  about  as  they  were  when 
first  established  ;  difficult  of  identification  for  want  of 
order,  and  seeming  to  stay  where  they  happened  to  be 
built.  But  then,  were  the  genius  of  enterprise  to  sub- 
stitute something  modern  for  the  short,  narrow,  zig-zag 
streets,  the  tucked-in  domiciles  and  the  French  and  Eng- 
lish church  architecture  dating  far  back,  it  would  not 
be  Quebec ;  more  especially,  were  its  protecting  walls 
and  gates,  with  nature's  immovable,  precipitous  height 
that  is  crowned  with  the  most  formidable  fortress  in 
America,  not  embraced  in  one's  conception  of  the  place. 
Activities  in  ship-building  and  commerce  mingle 
strangely  with  light  jobbing  and  confusion  of  trades 
and  tongues  due  to  a  mixture  of  races.  The  English 
rule,  officials  and  imposing  Government  buildings,  con- 
trasts strongly  with  the  circumstances  of  the  ruled. 
The  provision  for  governing  seems  to  be  in  excess  of 
the  necessities  of  the  case,  as  is  the  full  garrisoning  of 
the  citadel.  As  a  French  city  it  is  in  a  state  of  deca- 
dence ;  its  prestige  has  ascended  the  river  to  Montreal. 

Concerning  the  religious  condition  of  the  city,  the 
charge  of  Paul  against  Athens  might  be  used.  It  is 


A   MEMORIAL.  189 

"too  religious."  "  It  is  the  seat  of  a  Roman  Catholic 
archbishop  and  an  Anglican  bishop,  whose  respective 
cathedrals  are  among  the  finest  specimens  of  Canadian 
church  architecture.  The  church  of  Scotland  and 
various  denominations  of  dissenters  are  also  repre- 
sented in  the  city."  The  Basilica  is  the  center  of  in- 
terest to  the  tourist,  it  being  an  elaborate  historic 
cathedral,  and  a  fulcrum  of  power  to  the  hierarchy. 
The  author's  notes  of  a  visit  to  it  not  being  at  hand, 
he  avails  himself  of  a  description  of  the  interior  by  a 
competent  observer,  the  Field  Secretary  of  the  Grande 
Ljgne  Mission,  Rev.  E.  Bosworth.  By  this  it  will  be 
seen  that  because  of  Rome's  supremacy  in  the  city  it 
may  be  said  to  be  too  religious — "  too  superstitious"  : 

Here,  we  are  told,  is  to  be  found  a  part  of  St.  Joseph's 
mantle,  and  an  inscription  confronts  you  informing  you 
that  His  Eminence,  Cardinal  Taschereau,  Archbishop  of 
Quebec,  grants  one  hundred  days  of  indulgence  to  all  per- 
sons reciting  the  Lord's  Prayer  and  the  Angelical  Saluta- 
tion before  the  altar  of  St.  Joseph,  in  order  to  obtain  the 
mercy  of  God ;  the  cessation  of  evils  threatening  the  Church 
and  those  with  which  she  is  now  afflicted  ;  more  than  one 
hundred  days  of  indulgence  each  time  one  sits  or  kneels 
upon  the  earth  to  celebrate  the  mass  at  the  said  altar. 

In  another  chapel  is  a  piece  of  a  woman's  veil,  said  to 
have  been  worn  by  the  Virgin  Mary  at  the  cross,  and  to 
have  been  stained  by  the  blood  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
Here,  also,  we  are  told  that  a  piece  of  the  arm  of  the  Apostle 
Paul,  a  joint  of  a  finger  of  St.  Anne,  a  bone  of  John  the 
Baptist,  and  the  bones  of  numerous  maityrs  are  contained 
in  a  small,  church-like  building,  which  may  be  seen  on  the 
left  of  the  altar.  At  stated  intervals  these  relics  are  ex- 
posed, and  the  benighted  Romanists  come  in  thousands  to 


190  MADAME   FELLER. 

venerate  them,  hoping  thereby  to  rid  their  bodies  of  dis- 
ease and  their  souls  of  sin. 

The  following  prayer  is  printed  and  hung  in  a  frame 
near  the  Altar  of  Notre  Dame  de  Pitie : 

"  O,  Mary !  tender  mother,  you  know  what  motive 
brings  me  to  this  blessed  place,  where  it  pleases  you  to 
show  your  mercy.  You  know  why  I  am  at  your  feet ; 
grant,  then,  the  favor  which  I  ask  of  you  ;  I  swear  it  to 
you  by  the  sword  of  affliction  which  has  pierced  your  own 
heart,  by  the  tears  which  have  run  from  your  eyes.  O 
mother  of  goodness,  do  not  reject  my  prayer,  but  listen  to 
it  favorably,  and  I  will  never  cease  to  love  and  bless  you !  " 

"  Gentle  heart  of  Mary,  be  my  refuge." 

Then  follows  information  that  three  hundred  days  of 
indulgence  will  be  granted  each  time  this  prayer  is  re- 
peated, i.  e.,  that  the  penal  consequences  of  sin  will  be  re- 
moved for  three  hundred  days.  We  surely  need  to  point 
them  to  Jesus,  who  is  the  only  refuge  for  sin-burdened 
souls. 

(Since  above  was  written,  Cardinal  Taschereau  has 
passed  away.) 

It  will  be  understood  from  the  foregoing  that  Que- 
bec has  been  a  difficult  field  for  Evangelical  Christians 
to  live  and  labor  in.  On  visiting  the  city  in  1882,  the 
author,  after  some  searching,  found  an  English  Baptist 
Church  and  worshiped  in  it  with  a  few  local  members 
and  some  other  people.  Two  of  the  other  denomina- 
tions were  represented  in  the  place,  one  of  them  only 
by  an  abandoned  house  of  worship,  which  the  Salva- 
tion Army  used  for  a  time  and  then  ceased  its  unfruit- 
ful effort.  The  opening  of  a  mission  by  French  Bap- 
tists is  spoken  of  by  Rev.  Mr.  L,afleur  thus : 

"In  1857  Quebec,  the  strong  citadel  of  Canada,  and 


A   MEMORIAL.  IQI 

of  Catholicism  in  Canada,  closed  until  then  to  French 
evangelization,  saw  the  Gospel  introduced  within  her 
walls,  after  the  mobbing  of  a  French  colporter,  who 
had  been  so  badly  beaten  that  he  came  to  death's  door 
from  his  injuries.  On  recovering,  he  manifested  a 
great  desire  to  preach.  In  spite  of  his  being  very  illit- 
terate,  several  persons  encouraged  him  to  do  it.  The 
Baptist  brethren  of  Quebec  generously  lent  him  their 
chapel.  After  a  few  Sundays,  when  people  came  in 
good  numbers  to  hear  what  this  man  had  to  say,  and 
were  somewhat  amused  at  the  way  he  said  it,  Messrs. 
L,afleur  and  Normandeau  were  invited  to  preach  there 
for  several  Sundays.  Mr.  Normandeau,  a  converted 
priest  and  formerly  professor  in  the  Quebec  Seminary) 
was  afterward  installed  as  pastor  of  a  small  church 
composed  of  some  twenty  members.  He  labored  there 
ten  years,  during  which  time  the  little  church  gradu- 
ally diminished  by  emigration,  with  very  little  prospect 
of  making  up  for  this  loss  by  new  additions  from  the 
ranks  of  Romanism."  The  Grande  Ligne  Mission,  it 
will  be  inferred,  is  entitled  to  a  credit  for  supporting 
if  not  for  originating  this  work. 

Missionary  work  here  was  begun  in  1857,  by  Rev. 
Iveon  Normandeau,  an  ex-priest.  He  labored  for 
about  twelve  years,  when  he  was  called  to  the  prin- 
cipalship  of  the  school  at  Grande  Ligne.  The  first 
converts  from  Rome  were  baptized  into  the  Baptist 
church  (English)  in  1858.  When  this  missionary  left 
the  field  there  remained  eight  or  ten  families  of  new 
converts,  the  fruit  of  his  work ;  these  soon  left  also, 
excepting  three.  The  Baptists  discontinued  their 
efforts  here  for  a  time,  and  the  work  was  taken  up 


1 92  MADAME   FELLER. 

by  the  Presbyterians,  who  built  a  little  church,  to  be 
the  joint  property  of  the  two  bodies. 

In  the  spring  of  1889  Grande  L,igne  sent  Rev. 
W.  S.  Bullock,  then  a  student,  who  organized  a  suc- 
cessful mission  with  the  old  converts  of  Mr.  Norman- 
deau,  and  others.  Its  services  were  held  in  the  Sun- 
day-school room  of  the  English  Baptist  church.  In 
the  fall  Mr.  •Bullock  left  Quebec  to  enter  upon  a 
course  of  study  in  Newton  Theological  Institute. 
The  services  of  Mr.  C.  W.  Grenier  as  colporter  were 
secured,  and  Mrs.  Grenier  was  engaged  to  teach  a 
small  school ;  both  continuing  for  six  years.  Few 
professed  Christianity,  while  the  old  converts  died  or 
moved  away. 

In  the  summer  of  1894  Rev.  Adam  Burwash,  gen- 
eral missionary  for  Grande  L,igne,  went  to  Quebec  and 
started  an  aggressive  work,  on  a  more  elaborate  plan. 
A  hall  was  secured  on  Bridge  Street,  and  opened  ev- 
ery night.  Many  gathered,  the  Gospel  was  preached 
and  Rome  denounced.  Soon  the  clergy  and  the  press 
evinced  strong  opposition  to  the  new  movement,  and 
a  raid  upon  the  chapel  ensued.  From  three  to  four 
thousand  people  assembled ;  some  to  stone  the  place, 
but  the  greater  number  to  witness  that  which  was 
expected  to  occur.  A  few  hundred  really  meant  death 
to  the  missionaries  while  the  meeting  was  in  progress. 
The  hall  was  full,  and  at  a  given  signal  the  crowd 
went  out,  leaving  Messrs.  Grenier  and  Burwash,  with 
a  few  converts.  The  next  moment  there  came  a 
storm  of  stones  through  the  windows;  lamps  were 
broken  and  everything  was  literally  smashed.  Hap- 
pily the  missionaries,  in  the  obscurity,  found  a  door 


lii 


SALLE  EVAXGELIQUE  IX  ls94,  AFTER  THE  RIOT. 


PRESENT  BAPTIST  CHAPEL. 


A    MEMORIAL.  193 

communicating  with  an  adjoining  house,  in  which 
they  found  shelter.  The  police  force  seemed  to  be 
powerless  to  disperse  the  mob.  The  rioters,  not  sat- 
isfied, proceeded  to  the  Salvation  Army  barracks  and 
broke  the  windows  there,  and  then  did  likewise  to 
the  Episcopal  chapel. 

This  riot  created  a  great  deal  of  excitement  among 
the  English  Protestants  of  the  Province,  and  was  also 
disapproved  by  the  better  class  of  the  Roman  Cath- 
olics. The  present  place  of  worship  was  bought  and 
fitted  up  by  Grande  Ligne,  at  a  cost  of  about  $2,000. 
It  is  a  substantial  stone  building,  comprising  the 
chapel  downstairs,  and  a  reading-room  upstairs,  with 
a  residence  for  the  missionary  and  a  school-room, 
secured  in  1895.  Mr.  Burwash  closed  his  work  here, 
after  being  for  nearly  two  years  in  charge  of  the 
field,  to  work  with  Dr.  J.  S.  Fulton,  of  Boston,  and 
Rev.  Iy.  R.  Dutaud  took  the  field. 

The  results  in  conversions  have  been  small,  yet 
some  have  left  Rome,  and  among  these  is  one  (at 
this  writing)  at  Newton  Seminary,  preparing  for  the 
ministry.  The  converts,  being  boycotted,  have  left 
for  the  States  and  other  parts.  Still,  Mr.  Dutaud 
reports  twenty  resident  members  and  a  fair  attend- 
ance at  the  meetings ;  a  Sunday-school  of  twentj'-five, 
and  a  reading-room  which  offers  evening  advantages 
to  young  men.  The  attendance  upon  the  services 
has  more  than  doubled  since  the  opening  of  the 
chapel.  The  French  Protestants  have  rallied  around 
the  missionary  and  the  enterprise. 


194  MADAME    FELLER. 


XV. 


—  THE  FIRST 
EDIFICE;  ITS  DAY  AND  DOOM;  NOTED 
ENTERPRISE;  A  SCORE  OF  YEARS. 

THE  narrative  of  Madame  Feller  and  the  Grande 
L/igne  Mission  is  a  unific  and  "continued"  story. 
The  woman  is  not  separate  from  the  institution ; 
though  in  form  she  has  passed  away,  in  power  she 
still  abides  in  the  school.  Because  her  influence 
lives,  it  lives ;  and  this  is  the  strongest  assurance  of 
its  continued  existence.  The  hearts  of  the  living, 
from  age  to  age,  will  take  courage  at  every  mention 
of  her,  and  make  her  work  their  own.  She  will  not 
decrease  while  it  will  increase. 

The  story  grows  like  a  serial ;  not  in  length  only, 
but  likewise  in  its  breadth  of  interest.  The  number 
of  its  characters  continually  increases,  and  on  what- 
ever stage  of  action  appearing  they  will  be  living 
memorials  of  her.  It  is  one  of  those  true  tales  that 
gather  more  and  more  of  their  own  elements  as  they 
move  onward,  and  increase  in  interest  with  the  lapse 
of  years.  It  finds  a  sustained  interest  in  its  vital 
ethical  element.  For  more  than  sixty  years,  just 
passed,  it  has  been  in  process  of  growth — both  its 
educational  and  its  missionary  part.  And,  if  well 
narrated,  it  is  calculated  to  touch  the  heart  of  the 


A    MEMORIAL.  IQ5 

reader.  The  excellent  ex-President  of  the  Mission, 
Mr.  Ayer,  in  his  sketch  retouches  the  picture  as  if  his 
soul  were  knit  to  those  personages  that  comprise  its 
main  features.  Placing  his  account  with  others,  and 
reviewing  the  whole,  new  points  of  interest  are  gained. 

The  erection  of  the  first  substantial  school  build- 
ing, so  soon  after  opening  the  Mission  in  the  country, 
is  an  exceedingly  creditable  fact  in  the  history.  No 
other  French  Protestant  school  then  existed  in  Can- 
ada. No  Protestant  sentiment  prevailed,  except  that 
which  the  Mission  created,  upon  which  to  depend  for 
sympathy.  Yet,  after  five  brief  years  in  securing  a 
tenure  to  existence,  amidst  penury  and  persecution, 
an  edifice  lifts  its  impressive  form  on  the  plains  of 
Grande  L,igne,  amazing  to  the  opposers  as  well  as 
gratifying  to  the  friends  of  the  work.  It  was  two 
and  a  half  stories  high,  thirty-five  by  forty  feet, 
ground  measure,  and  composed  of  rough  stone.  It 
stood  for  nearly  fifty  years,  a  joy  to  the  promoters  of 
education  and  to  the  hundreds  of  young  people  who 
were  instructed  within  its  walls.  And  something 
more  than  instruction  was  had ;  for  there  the  Gospel 
was  preached — the  chapel  for  a  long  period  being 
the  only  "church"  available  —  and  the  Holy  Spirit 
visited  the  place  repeatedly,  with  regenerating  power. 
Year  by  year  were  s_ouls  saved,  and  hopes  of  the  pres- 
ent life  changed  and  elevated.  Sons  of  Romanists 
were  among  the  students,  and  they  shared  in  the 
spiritual  mercies,  thus  adding  to  the  evangelical  ele- 
ments of  the  Province,  and  some  of  them  becoming 
forces  of  evangelism. 

Rev.  A.  I,.  Therrien,  in  his  little  pamphlet  entitled 


196  MADAME   FELLER. 

"  The  Four  Upper  Rooms,"  records  some  very  tender 
memories  of  the  place  and  the  person ;  and  from  it 
we  take  the  following : 

Going  up  the  first  flight  of  stairs  in  the  old  building 
of  the  Grande  Ligne  and  Feller  Institute,  on  reaching 
the  second  floor  and  turning  to  the  right,  we  come  pres- 
ently to  a  room  on  the  left,  which  we  enter,  and  find  our- 
selves in  the  apartment  where  Madame  Feller  spent 
twenty-eight  years  of  her  life.  To  hundreds  of  grateful 
hearts  this  room  is  a  sacred  place.  Many  who  are  now 
in  heaven,  many  more  who  are  still  on  earth,  some  of 
them  old  men  and  women,  others  still  in  their  prime, 
think  of  this  upper  room  with  the  tenderest  emotions. 
Here,  for  over  a  quarter  of  a  century,  young  men,  Mme. 
Feller's  "  boys,"  as  she  fondly  called  them,  came  for  faith- 
ful admonition,  for  counsel,  for  sympathy  and  help,  for 
instruction  and  prayer.  Here  many  were  born  into  the 
Kingdom  of  God;  and  that  clear  musical  and  sympathetic 
voice  which  was  heard,  years  before,  in  the  "  upper  room  " 
in  Lausanne,  pleaded  at  the  mercy  seat  daily  for  saving 
grace,  in  behalf  of  some  seeking  soul.  Here  many  tears, 
tears  of  penitence,  tears  of  faith  and  joy,  were  shed;  and 
here,  too,  were  spoken  many  parting  words  of  wise  counsel 
when  "  the  boys  "  came  to  bid  adieu  to  their  benefactress. 
They  seldom,  if  ever,  went  away  without  bending  the  knee 
in  prayer  with  her,  and  without  shedding  tears  of  regret 
to  leave  one  so  good  and  so  true.  Here,  too,  came,  from 
near  and  from  far,  heads  of  families,  mothers,  often  fathers 
too,  to  seek  advice  and  sympathy  in  their  cares  and 
trials;  and  here  also  the  missionaries  themselves  were 
wont  to  come  to  refresh  their  hearts  and  strengthen  their 
courage  by  holding  sweet  converse  with  their  "  mother  in 
Israel." 


A   MEMORIAL.  197 

The  year  1 890  was  reached ;  a  memorable  one  in 
the  history  of  this  memorable  edifice,  which  was  in  its 
fiftieth  and  last  year.  The  girls'  building,  a  wing  of 
the  above,  had  been  erected  ten  years  previously  and 
the  problem  of  a  mixed  school  had  been  solved  to  the 
credit  of  co-education  and  the  benefit  of  a  great  many. 
Though  the  experiment  was  forced  upon  the  Board,  on 
economical  grounds,  it  proved  to  be  a  blessing.  "  Dur- 
ing the  first  winter  of  the  joint  school,  forty -three  per- 
sons, including  villagers,  were  converted,  baptized  and 
added  to  the  church."  Yet  prosperity  revealed  the 
possibility,  even  the  necessity,  of  the  school.  The 
buildings  were  limited  and  destitute  of  modern  con- 
veniences, and  the  Board  had  resolved  to  remodel  and 
enlarge  them,  and  also  to  raise  an  endowment.  It  sent 
three  business  men  to  Grande  L,igne  with  the  architect 
and  contractors  to  finally  approve  and  sign  the  con- 
tracts. In  the  midst  of  their  deliberations  there  was  a 
cry  of  "  Fire."  A  spark  from  one  of  the  numerous 
wood  stoves  which,  possibly,  they  were  about  to  replace 
with  modern  fixtures,  had  caught  in  the  sparrow's 
nests,  in  the  cupola.  A  strong  wind  forced  the  flames 
down  into  the  rooms,  and  every  attempt  to  save  any- 
thing except  life  failed  of  its  object,  so  rapidly  did  the 
conflagration  spread.  The  girls'  building,  the  larger 
of  the  two,  seemed  to  be  doomed.  But  the  ponderous 
bell,  ere  it  crashed  downward,  carrying  the  roof,  did 
good  service  in  alarming  students  and  others,  who  had 
been  organized  into  a  fire  brigade.  Water  was  handed 
to  the  roof  of  the  wing,  and  a  vigorous  war  with  the 
fire  fiend  was  carried  to  a  successful  termination. 
"  More  than  a  score  of  times  it  caught  fire,  but  the 


198  MADAME   FEU,ER. 

boys,  encouraged  on,  fought  it  back,  and  never  were  a 
happier  lot  than  they  when,  a  few  hours  later,  all  dan- 
ger of  the  destruction  of  the  girls'  building  was  over." 
And  so  the  3ist  of  January  is  italicized  in  the  calendar 
of  the  Institute. 

For  ten  years  the  varying  fortune  of  the  school, 
including  one  year  of  suspension,  had  caused  some 
depression  in  the  minds  of  its  friends,  and  now  that 
its  old  home  was  utterly  destroyed  their  hearts  were 
cast  down.  Still  they  had  seen  darker  days,  and 
though  the  inspiring  head  of  affairs,  Madame  Feller 
and  Mr.  Roussy  as  one,  was  reposing  in  the  ground 
just  by,  the  spirit  of  consecration  had  so  fully  taken 
possession  of  the  place  that  retreat  or  even  hesitation 
was  not  to  be  contemplated.  The  insurance  was  not 
sufficient  to  cover  the  loss,  yet,  dismissing  the  school 
for  the  balance  of  the  year  and  forming  new  plans, 
friends  quickly  came  forward  with  means,  and  a  new 
and  far  better  building  was  ready  for  occupation  on  the 
first  of  October,  same  year.  This  fine  structure,  ap- 
pearing in  the  picture  as  a  central  and  superior  one, 
contains  all  the  improvements  and  awaits  a  "  left-hand 
supporter" — its  left  wing  as  it  faces  the  beholder. 
The  right  wing,  completed  in  1880,  and  the  opening  of 
which  the  devoted  Mr.  Roussy  was  permitted  with  fal- 
tering step  to  attend,  just  before  he  passed  away,  ap- 
pears in  handsome  adaptation  to  the  newer  building. 
During  the  nine  months  of  suspension  it  was  repaired, 
entirely  remodeled  and  painted.  And  thus  the  L/ord 
provided  better  things  by  causing  his  children  to  go 
through  the  fire.  The  Romanists  were  impressed  with 
their  invincible  courage,  and  with  the  fact  that  the 


TEACHERS  AT  GRANDE  LIGNE. 

(1)  Principal  G.  N.  Masse,  M.A.  (2)  Mr.  A.  E.  Masse,  B.A.  (3)  Mrs.  A.  E.  Masse.  (4)  Dr. 
F.  Rainville.  (5)  Rev.  M.  B.  Parent,  M,  A.  (0)  Miss  S.  Piche.  (7)  Mr.  E.  Norman,  B.A.  (8)  Mrs. 
Norman. 


A   MEMORIAL.  199 

Lord  was  on  their  side,  and  that  they  needed  not  to 
fear  what  man  could  do  unto  them. 

Glancing  at  authentic  documents  for  a  brief  survey 
of  this  grand  enterprise,  it  is  learned  that  for  the  first 
year  (1835-6)  the  main  result  of  their  flight  from  one 
hostile  locality  to  another  was  the  finding,  finally,  a 
place  to  rest  the  foot.  A  convert  had  been  gained, 
raised  up  for  their  relief  in  pointing  them  to  an  "  upper 
room  "  (the  log  hut),  and  then  taken  to  her  mansion 
in  the  skies  before  the  year  closed.  It  was  her  reward 
here  that  she,  Mrs.  Lore,  had  proper  Christian  burial, 
and  by  the  loving  hands  of  the  missionaries. 

The  second  year  (1836-7)  was  signalled  by  two 
great  events.  One,  the  organization  of  a  church  of 
seven  members,  increased  to  sixteen  before  the  year 
closed,  which,  by  the  grace  of  God,  continues  to  this 
day ;  the  second,  the  persecution  and  exile  already  de- 
scribed. Thus,  through  joy  and  sorrow  in  immediate 
succession,  were  they  tempered  for  their  life  further 
on — missionaries  and  converts  together. 

In  the  third  year  (1837-8)  the  insufferable  heat  of 
summer  drove  them  from  the  garret  to  a  neighboring 
barn.  There  they  were  discovered  by  Montreal  friends, 
who,  through  compassion,  and  more  by  genuine  sym- 
pathy for  the  work  undertaken,  started  a  building  en- 
terprise, which,  in  a  little  more  than  two  years,  was 
consummated  in  the  noble  edifice  that,  after  nearly 
fifty  years  of  service  to  education  and  religion,  was 
burned.  Meantime  evangelizing  and  school  work  went 
on,  the  entire  cabin,  with  special  kindness  of  the  owner, 
Mr.  Leveque,  having  been  granted  to  them. 

The   strain  of  building  was    the    principal  expe- 


200  MADAME 

perience  of  the  fourth  year  (1838-9)  except  as  teach- 
ing and  evangelizing  were  continued,  and  with  suc- 
cess. 

In  the  summer  of  the  fifth  year  (1839-40)  occur- 
red the  dedication  of  the  new  edifice  to  the  glory  of 
God  and  the  good  of  man,  and  with  it  a  new  era 
was  opened  for  this  missionary  enterprise.  Madame 
Feller,  accompanied  by  Rev.  Dr.  Kirk,  made  a  suc- 
cessful tour  of  solicitation  in  the  United  States.  The 
remarkable  conversion  of  Rev.  Mr.  Normandeau,  Cath- 
olic priest  and  for  years  professor  in  the  Romanist 
Seminar}'  at  Quebec,  and  his  entrance  upon  teaching 
at  Grande  Ligne — a  much-needed  provision — also  took 
place. 

The  sixth  (1840-41)  was  signalized  by  one  of  the 
most  important  acquisitions  in  all  its  history — the 
eminent  Dr.  C.  H.  O.  Cote,  physician,  civilian  and 
political  leader,  who  turned  his  learning  and  in- 
fluence to  the  service  of  the  King  in  Zion.  "  After 
a  mighty  work  of  evangelization,  which  extended  to 
the  new  settlements  (clearings  in  the  forest),  it  was 
decided  that  the  new  convert  should  become  the  resi- 
dent pastor  of  St.  Pie,"  where  Messrs.  Roussy  and 
Normandeau,  with  Mr.  Cloutier,  the  first-fruit  of  New 
Testament  distribution,  had  organized  a  successful 
work.  In  the  same  year  two  other  valuable  acces- 
sions were  secured  in  the  village  of  Dr.  Cote's  resi- 
dence and  doubtless  through  his  influence,  and  one 
of  these,  Rev.  Theo.  L,afleur,  Montreal,  remains  at  the 
time  of  this  writing,  and  at  a  high  point  of  ability  and 
usefulness ;  the  other,  Rev.  Narcisse  Cyr,  talented  and 
eminent,  has  returned  on  High.  Both  were  educated 


A   MEMORIAL.  2OI 

at  Grande  Ligne,  and  in  theology  at  Geneva,  Switzer- 
land. 

The  next  two  years  (1841-2-3)  were  full  of  activ- 
ity and  fruits.  Earnest  campaigning  and  gratifying 
conquest  took  place  at  Chazy,  N.  Y.,  and  Milton  (Be- 
rea),  many  souls  having  been  added  unto  the  Lord. 
A  mission-house  was  built  at  St.  Pie  and  a  log  school- 
house  at  Berea,  both  of  which  were  consecrated  to 
God  on  the  25th  of  December,  1842. 

In  the  following,  the  ninth,  year  (1843-4)  a  church 
was  organized  at  St.  Pie,  preceded  by  a  violent  perse- 
cution which  had  been  instigated  by  the  priests.  The 
Christians  were  called  the  most  opprobrious  "  names," 
were  visited  with  charivari  and  violent  scenes  for 
fourteen  days,  including  a  shower  of  stones,  and  end- 
ing with  burning  the  house  of  one  of  the  brethren. 
But  "  the  word  of  the  Lord  grew  and  multiplied."  Dr. 
Cote's  service  as  a  physician  helped  to  allay  bitter- 
ness. His  ordination  took  place  there  the  same  year. 
During  the  second  half  of  this  the  first  decade,  up- 
wards of  one  hundred  persons  had  been  received  to 
church  fellowship  in  that  place ;  and  these,  added  to 
the  converts  at  Grande  Ligne  and  its  neighborhood, 
made  a  joyous  company  of  redeemed  ones  numbering 
about  three  hundred. 

The  tenth  year  (1844-5)  brought  an  unexpected 
crisis  in  the  withdrawal  of  sympathy  by  many  not 
Baptists,  deeply  affecting  the  charitable  heart  of  Mad- 
ame Feller.  She  and  Dr.  Cote  made  a  collecting 
tour  in  the  United  States,  resulting  in  a  manifesta- 
tion of  withdrawal  on  the  part  of  some,  but  a  cheerful 
helpfulness  on  the  part  of  others ;  a  successful  tour  as 
a  whole. 


2O2  MADAME    FELLER. 

In  the  eleventh  year  (1845-6)  Madame  Feller  was 
accompanied  to  the  United  States  by  Rev.  R.  A.  Fyfe. 
She  met  the  ladies  in  their  several  associations, 
organized  in  behalf  of  the  Mission,  and  Mr.  Fyfe 
pleaded  the  same  cause  in  many  pulpits.  In  the 
missionary  field  brethren  were  encouraged  by  con- 
versions, many  of  the  converts  being  aged  persons, 
and  some  of  the  cases  exceedingly  interesting.  The 
earliest  convert  at  St.  Pie  had  died,  witnessing  for 
Jesus  to  the  last. 

The  twelfth  and  thirteenth  years  (1846-7-8)  were 
characterized  by  financial  exigency  in  the  Mission, 
though  this  was  due  to  the  large  service  it  was  ren- 
dering, with  success  following.  Madame  Feller,  with 
Dr.  Cote,  made  a  more  extended  tour  than  usual  in 
the  United  States,  to  obtain  means.  They  passed 
over  a  considerable  part  of  New  England,  visited  the 
States  of  Delaware  and  New  York,  going  as  far  west 
as  to  Buffalo  and  Niagara  Falls ;  and  their  collections, 
supplementing  other  receipts,  met  the  demands  of  the 
Mission  for  the  year  and  paid  the  debts.  "  What  a 
favor  !  what  a  deliverance,"  exclaimed  the  Madame. 

In  the  next  two  years  (1848-9-50)  the  Mission  ex- 
perienced the  loss  of  the  eminent  Dr.  Cote,  by  death, 
after  about  ten  years  of  the  best  of  service ;  yet  with 
this  bereavement  came  the  important  acquisition  of 
Messrs.  Cyr  and  Lafleur,  direct  from  their  extended 
theological  studies  at  Geneva.  Mr.  Lafleur  took 
charge  of  the  important  work  at  St.  Pie.  A  new  sta- 
tion was  opened  at  St.  Mary,  followed  at  once  by  a 
demonstration  of  the  mob  spirit,  which,  however,  sub- 
sided and  resulted  in  a  gradually  increased  congre- 


E.  W.  DADSON,  D.D. 
REV.  J  K.WILLIAMS.  REV.  L.  CHAS.  ROUX. 


A   MEMORIAL.  203 

gation  and  the  conversion  of  souls.  Fifteen  families, 
mostly  in  good  circumstances,  left  the  Romish  church 
and  united  in  building  a  large  chapel  for  the  Mission 
cause.  Also  (1850)  a  school  for  the  education  of 
Canadian  girls  was  established  at  St.  Pie,  only  a  few 
theretofore  having  been  admitted  to  the  privileges  of 
the  Grande  L,igne  school,  designed  for  boys.  Mile. 
Jonte,  French,  assisted  by  Miss  Boardman,  American 
(converted  at  Grande  L,igne),  took  charge  of  it.  Mr. 
Hubert  Tetrau  was  the  well-qualified  Superintendent 
of  the  Primary  Department. 

Glancing  at  the  minor  mention  at  hand,  of  what 
will  appear  in  the  Record  on  High  to  have  been  of 
far-reaching  importance,  it  is  seen  that  in  the  six- 
teenth and  seventeenth  years  (1850-1-2)  the  cause 
gained  much  strength.  The  Grande  L,igne  school 
reached  an  attendance  of  thirty.  Mr.  Chas.  Roux, 
student  in  Geneva,  joined  the  missionary  band,  was 
baptized,  licensed  and  entered  upon  teaching  in  the 
Institute,  with  Mr.  T.  Rie"ndeau,  another  licentiate; 
Rev.  L,.  Normandeau  being  principal.  The  girls' 
school  at  St.  Pie  had  an  attendance  of  twenty,  and 
Madame  L,afleur  was  added  to  the  teachers  men- 
tioned, "  bringing  all  the  distinction  of  her  nature 
and  superior  education."  "  Besides  these  two  insti- 
tutions," said  Mr.  Cyr  at  the  time,  "  eight  primary 
schools  have  been  in  operation  during  the  past  year, 
furnishing  instruction  in  the  elementary  branches  of 
education,  pervaded  by  the  spirit  of  Christianity,  to 
more  than  two  hundred  children."  Mr.  Roussy  had 
taken  charge  of  the  post  of  St.  Marie,  "  where  he  did 
not  spare  himself  in  abundant  labors,"  and  where  a 
chapel  was  built.  French  Canadian  converts  were 


204  MADAME    FELLER. 

sufficiently  numerous  to  fill  the  house  at  its  dedica- 
tion, exciting  the  jealousy  of  the  priests  and  causing 
the  famed  Chiniquy  discussion.  The  periodical,  Le 
Semeur  Canadien  (The  Canadian  Sower)  began  its 
useful  career  as  an  intelligencer  of  evangelical  truth. 
New  fields  opened  at  Granby  and  St.  Isidore,  and  a 
good  number  were  converted  at  Grande  L,igne,  as 
usual.  A  new  church  was  organized  at  Salem. 

The  next  two  years  (1852-3-4)  brought  events 
and  changes.  Rev.  J.  N.  Williams,  now  Superintend- 
ent of  French  Canadian  work  for  New  England,  a 
convert  of  the  Mission  and  educated  under  its  aus- 
pices in  the  University  of  Rochester,  returned  to  the 
Province  for  the  general  service.  One  of  his  earliest 
duties,  also  a  privilege,  was  to  accompany  Madame 
Feller  on  her  journey  to  the  United  States,  in  1853. 
In  1854  four  new  parishes  were  opened,  principally 
by  the  labors  of  the  two  noted  colporters,  Roy  and 
Patenaude,  who  gave  to  this  class  of  work  a  prestige 
which  it  held  and  honored.  The  mission-house  at 
St.  Pie  was  totally  destroyed  by  fire,  scattering  the 
congregation  and  school  for  a  time,  but  resulting  in 
better  facilities  at  L,ongueuil,  which  had  been  the  seat 
of  a  flourishing  school  for  a  long  time. 

With  the  incoming  of  the  twentieth  year  (1855) 
there  was  a  calm  review  by  the  friends  of  the  Mission 
of  what  God  had  wrought  and  an  accompanying  joy. 
Madame  Feller  had  returned  from  a  seven  months' 
sojourn  in  the  South,  and  girded  herself  anew  for 
work.  Rev.  T.  Riendeau,  student  at  Grande  L,igne 
and  Rochester,  was  ordained;  the  Mission  was  in- 
corporated by  act  of  Parliament,  and  its  standing  and 
influence  thus  permanently  assured. 


A   MEMORIAL.  205 


Madame  P.  L,edoux,  of  Marieville,  though  not  offi- 
cially a  missionary  of  Grande  L,igne,  deserves  a  place 
in  this  record.  Born  in  1827,  of  pious  Roman  Catholic 
parents,  she  very  early  showed  a  deep  interest  in  re- 
ligion. Intelligent,  very  sensitive  and  conscientious, 
ambitious  and  energetic,  she  possessed,  naturally,  the 
elements  of  success  and  the  ground  of  a  good  moral 
and  Christian  character.  In  her  childhood  she  ap- 
plied herself  very  earnestly  to  her  studies,  and,  not- 
withstanding the  very  poor  educational  advantages 
offered  her,  she  became  proficient  and  was  entrusted 
with  the  responsible  charge  of  the  village  school  when 
only  nineteen  years  old.  She  has  since  taught  the 
French  language  in  her  own  home  to  over  three 
hundred  and  fifty  young  men  and  young  women, 
many  of  whom  occupy  high  positions  in  both  Can- 
ada and  the  United  States. 

Madame  L,edoux's  father  was  converted  from  Ro- 
manism through  the  labors  of  Mr.  Roussy,  Dr.  Cote, 
M.  Auger,  and  a  brother  of  his.  Soon  after,  she  too 
accepted  the  truth,  and  became  a  pillar  in  the  church 
and  an  ornament  to  French  Protestantism.  Though 
seventy-one  years  old,  she  still  teaches,  writes  occa- 
sionally for  the  press,  and  takes  a  deep  interest  in 
the  cause  of  Christ.  She  is  widely  known  and  greatly 
esteemed,  especially  by  those  who  have  studied  with 
her  and  have  known  her  intimately.  At  the  request 
of  her  friends  she  has  written  her  autobiography, 
which  is  full  of  interesting  incidents,  and  which  re- 


206  MADAME   FELLER. 

veals  in  her  the  typical  French  Canadian  woman  and 
character.  Her  love  and  admiration  for  Mr.  Roussy 
and  Madame  Feller  knows  no  bounds,  and  she  cher- 
ishes the  most  loving  memories  of  all  the  old  mission- 
aries of  Grande  L,igne. 


MADAME   LEDOUX. 


aoti 


A   MEMORIAL.  207 


XVI. 


.  —  CONVERTS, 
THREE  THOUSAND;  HOME  MISSION 
SOCIETY  COMES  IN;  NEW  MISSION- 

ARIES;   NEW  STATIONS. 


third  decade  was  ushered  in  by  a  flow  of 
martyr  blood  in  Quebec;  "the  seed  of  the 
church,"  of  which  a  French  colporter  was  the  honored 
subject  or  sufferer.  Nearly  thirty  years  later  "  a 
pretty  good  French  congregation"  was  reported  as 
still  representing  the  nucleus  formed  after  that  mob 
of  1857.  In  the  year  1858  occurred  the  revolt  from 
Rome  of  the  priest  who  had  made  himself  famous  as 
a  priest  of  temperance  also  —  Rev.  C.  Chiniquy,  of 
Kankakee,  Illinois,  whom  Mr.  Lafleur  visited,  and 
whose  conversion  produced  a  great  sensation  and 
influence  in  favor  of  Protestantism,  hundreds  forsak- 
ing Romanism  at  the  time. 

The  year  1859-60  was  passed  by  Madame  Feller 
in  Switzerland,  yet  the  work  went  on.  At  about  this 
time  it  was  said  of  it,  and  with  authority,  "  The  work 
of  the  Grande  I^igne  Mission  now  extends  over  some 
forty  parishes,  every  one  of  which  contains  French 
Canadian  converts.  Their  number  amounts  to  about 
three  thousand,  of  whom  seven  hundred  are  in  church 
fellowship."  In  1861,  and  forward,  the  civil  war  in 


208  MADAME 

the  United  States  greatly  interfered  with  the  work, 
by  reason  of  the  depreciation  of  currency,  causing 
loss,  and  necessity  for  borrowing  money. 

A  period  of  fraternal  beneficiary  relationship  to 
the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  termi- 
nated at  this  time,  and  a  statement  concerning  it  will 
be  of  interest. 

The  Grande  I/igne  Mission,  on  account  of  its  prox- 
imity to  the  United  States,  and  the  very  interesting 
character  of  its  workers  and  their  work,  early  became 
known  to  Christians  in  the  States,  of  all  denomina- 
tions. In  time  it  became  recognized  as  a  Baptist 
interest,  without  change  of  management  or  method. 
Its  new  appearance  was  but  the  blossoming  of  the 
tree  planted,  by  which  its  nature  came  to  be  cor- 
rectly understood.  In  time  of  special  need,  Novem- 
ber 1849,  appeal  was  made  to  the  American  Baptist 
Home  Mission  Society,  in  the  following  pathetic 
terms : 

"  We  are  Baptists  of  your  own  faith  and  order ;  we 
are  such  by  the  teachings  of  God's  Holy  Word  and 
Spirit ;  the  churches  of  the  Swiss  Mission  and  the 
inquiring  Catholics  of  Canada  look  to  us  for  the 
Gospel;  a  long,  dreary  winter  is  at  hand,  and  our 
supplies  for  it  are  not  yet  obtained;  we  are  cut  off 
from  our  former  sources  of  aid  because  we  are  Bap- 
tists. What  shall  we  do?  Can  you  do  anything  for 
us?" 

The  Board  attended  to  the  cry,  the  appeal  having 
been  sustained  by  the  influential  subcommittee,  Drs. 
W.  R.  Williams  and  S.  S.  Cutting,  who,  in  their  re- 
port, declared  :  "  The  Grande  Ligne  Mission  is  the 


A   MEMORIAL.  209 

fruit  of  missionary  impulses  awakened  amid  the  val- 
leys of  Switzerland,  and  is  laid  at  our  feet  for  nur- 
ture and  support  when  already  grown  to  maturity 
under  the  special  blessing  of  God.  Where  our 
Heavenly  Father  so  manifestly  indicates  His  will,  it 
is  alike  ungrateful  and  perilous  to  fail  to  recognize  it." 

After  about  eleven  years  the  Board,  by  investiga- 
tion, learned  that  in  this  period  of  its  helpful  sym- 
pathy the  number  of  converts  from  Popery  in  the 
Province  of  Quebec  had  increased  from  four  or  five 
hundred  to  about  three  thousand,  a  success  achieved 
very  largely  by  the  Mission  at  Grande  L,igne.  And 
the  achievements  in  its  history  had  been  made  mem- 
orable by  trophies  from  Romanism  that  would  be 
creditable  to  any  mission,  anywhere ;  the  more  so  as 
the  conflict  was  severe  and  the  adversary  alert,  power- 
ful and  unscrupulous. 

In  1860  aid  was  discontinued,  and  the  Grande 
Ljgne  Mission,  which  had  retained  its  organization 
and  reported  to  the  Home  Mission  Society,  receiving 
from  it  funds  with  which  to  pay  the  missionaries^ 
salaries  in  part,  resumed  its  former  reliance.  There 
seemed  to  be  a  want  of  conformity  between  the  two 
organizations.  The  Home  Mission  Board,  never  losing 
its  interest  in  the  Canadian  French,  brought  forward 
their  interests  at  its  Semi-Centennial,  in  1882,  and  in- 
troduced some  Grande  I/igne  representatives  as 
speakers,  while  it  has  employed  some  of  the  choicest 
fruits  of  the  Institute  on  its  working  force,  to  the 
present  time.  Its  Jubilee  Volume  contains  the  fol- 
lowing statement :  "  The  general  condition  of  the 
Mission  having  greatl}7  improved,  and  its  circle  of 


2IO  MADAME   FELLER. 

friends  been  much  enlarged,  it  was  felt  that  its  pros- 
perity would  not  be  seriously  affected  by  the  with- 
drawal of  the  Society's  support.  During  the  eleven 
years  of  the  Society's  fostering  care,  $28,899.55  were 
appropriated  to  the  work  at  Grande  L,igne  and  mis- 
sion stations  connected  therewith." 

In  the  five  years  now  following  (i  861-66)  the  Mis- 
sion had  new  experiences,  both  trying  and  triumphant. 
Madame  Feller  had  made  a  visit  to  Switzerland,  occu- 
pying a  year,  and  returning  in  the  early  part  of  the 
Civil  War,  felt  the  monetary  depression  which  it 
brought  upon  her  loved  work ;  but  the  missionaries 
prosecuted  it  with  untiring  diligence,  and,  though  funds 
were  short,  there  were  evidences  of  spiritual  power 
and  blessing  at  all  the  stations.  One  winter,  in  want 
of  means  and  because  of  illness  of  the  missionary  staff, 
the  Grande  L,igne  school  was  closed,  as  no  one  could 
make  a  collecting  tour.  But  the  L,ord  showed  his 
favor  through  a  generous  friend  of  the  Mission,  Mrs. 
Caroline  Street,  of  New  Haven,  Connecticut,  who  sent 
to  it  five  thousand  dollars.  Then  there  was  a  day  of 
thanksgiving,  observed  with  tears  of  joy.  A  few  years 
later  Miss  Jenny  Bolles,  of  Hartford,  sent  three  thou- 
sand dollars,  while  Madame  Feller  obtained  two  and 
even  three  thousand  dollars  from  her  friends  in  Phila- 
delphia. Yet,  for  most  of  the  time,  daily  wants  were 
met  in  daily  faith. 

There  was  something  to  encourage  at  all  times ;  if 
not  in  the  heart  of  the  Mission,  then  at  some  other 
points  in  the  system  ;  if  not  in  material  things,  then  in 
those  which  are  higher.  "  In  very  sombre  days,"  says 
Mr.  Lafleur,  "when  Madame  Feller's  health  was  de- 


A   MEMORIAL.  211 

clining,  new  fields,  full  of  promise  for  the  success  of 
evangelization,  were  opening  before  us  at  South  Ely 
and  in  the  Township  of  Leslie,  by  remarkable  conver- 
sions. If  there  were  shadows  at  the  center  there  were 
luminous  points  at  the  circumference."  Individual 
conversions  of  remarkable  nature  were  occurring,  and 
some  special  ingatherings.  In  1863,  at  Montgomery, 
near  the  Vermont  line,  eighteen  families  left  the  Church 
of  Rome,  this  mission  church  then  containing  one  hun- 
dred and  forty-five  members,  with  other  applications 
for  admission. 

The  year  1867  was  a  trial  year,  the  school  at  Grande 
lyigne  being  closed  on  account  of  distressing  embar- 
rassments. "The  silent  corridor,  the  empty  school- 
rooms and  the  quiet  dining-room,  habitually  so  full  of 
life,  animation  and  noise  at  this  time  of  year,"  seemed 
lonely  and  sepulchral.  The  echo  of  a  few  voices,  cus- 
todians of  the  place,  was  far  away  and  heavy.  The 
inspiring  leader  felt  "  crushed."  She  was  reduced  in 
health  also,  irrecoverably,  and  the  next  year,  1868,  went 
down  in  the  calendar  of  the  Institute  as  the  one  most 
deeply  shadowed  in  all  its  history — Henrietta  Feller 
was  dead ! 

The  Mission  now  girded  itself  with  a  determination 
to  maintain  its  ground.  The  work  yielded  fruit,  yet 
lost  by  emigration  both  converts  and  laborers,  notably 
Messrs.  Cyr,  Williams  and  Rossier,  who  went  to  the 
United  States  to  labor  there.  Some  compensation  was 
had  in  choosing  Rev.  and  Mrs.  Normandeau  for  the 
superintendence  of  the  Institute,  assigning  his  position 
at  St.  Pie  to  Rev.  A.  I,.  Therrien,  and  making  some 
other  judicious  changes.  And  after  two  years  (1870) 


212  MADAME    FELLER. 

prosperity  again  appeared,  in  the  receipts  and  in  nu- 
merous conversions  in  different  stations.  Three  years 
then  pass,  with  changes. 

The  record  of  ten  years  next  following,  if  itemized, 
would  show  uniform  courage  and  zeal  in  all  lines  of 
effort,  with  successes  to  cheer  the  workers  and  encour- 
age the  friends  abroad.  The  French  were  settling  in 
the  United  States,  and  the  requirement  for  labor  among 
them  there  was  drawing  away  some  of  the  best  talent 
of  the  Mission.  The  Grande  Ligne  school  had  sus- 
pended again  for  a  year,  while  that  at  Longueuil,  under 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Roux,  with  Miss  Jonte,  "saw  a  succes- 
sion of  fine  classes  of  young  girls  and  young  ladies, 
many  of  whom  were  converted  and  took  good  posi- 
tions, several  of  them  as  teachers  in  ladies'  seminaries." 

During  the  succeeding  two  years  (1878-80)  the 
property  of  the  Feller  Institute  at  Longueuil  was  sold, 
and  the  education  of  girls  made  a  part  of  the  work  at 
Grande  Ligne,  all  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Roux.  A  wing  was  erected — rather  trunk  than  a 
"wing" — for  the  special  accommodation  of  girls.  A 
revival  of  much  preciousness  and  large  results  was 
enjoyed.  But  with  the  angel  of  Mercy  came  also  the 
angel  of  Death,  and  the  hero  who  had  accompanied 
Madame  Feller  from  Switzerland  and  on  through  her 
great  career,  abiding  faithful  after  her  strengthening 
presence  was  no  more  with  him — Louis  Roussy— 
passed  over  to  the  Better  Land. 

In  the  five  years  next  passing  (1880-5)  some  im- 
portant objects  were  accomplished,  besides  the  regu- 
lar school  work.  The  French  Baptist  church  in  Mon- 
treal, L'Oratoire,  was  erected,  after  tedious  years  of 


A   MEMORIAL.  213 

shifting  from  one  place  to  another  for  opportunity  of 
public  worship.  A  parsonage  at  Roxton  Pond  added 
to  the  stability  of  the  cause  there.  Then  other  stu- 
dents of  character  and  talent  at  Grande  Ligne  ap- 
peared on  the  stage  of  action,  proving  the  great  util- 
ity of  that  school ;  for  example,  J.  C.  Bracq,  now  a 
professor  in  Vassar  College  ;  Rev.  M.  B.  Parent,  now 
pastor  of  Grande  L,igne  church ;  Rev.  G.  N.  Masse, 
principal  of  Grande  L,igne  Institute,  after  a  period  in 
the  pastorate  of  the  church  there;  Rev.  Alfred  J. 
I/ebeau  and  Rev.  Arthur  St.  James,  occupying  im- 
portant posts,  the  one  at  Marieville,  P.  Q.,  and  the 
latter,  conspicuously  useful,  at  Worcester,  Mass.,  the 
IvOrd  working  with  them ;  Rev.  A.  I,.  Therrien,  now 
of  Montreal,  who,  after  some  years  of  successful  toil 
among  the  French  in  Burlington,  Vt,  returned  to 
Grande  Ligne  and  succeeded  Mr.  Roussy,  whose  last 
years  were  so  full  of  illness  as  to  necessitate  a  limi- 
tation of  pastoral  work.  He  found  the  church  in 
need  of  reorganization  and  of  a  house  of  worship; 
both  of  which  objects,  through  zeal  and  prudence,  he 
was  enabled  to  accomplish.  Hence  the  tasteful  and 
commodious  "  Roussy  Memorial  Baptist  Church,"  with 
a  happy  and  prosperous  membership.  Priests  had 
been  converted,  one  of  which  was  the  first  person 
baptized  in  the  baptistry  of  the  new  church.  In  the 
winter  that  followed  its  dedication  the  Institute  was 
visited  by  the  most  remarkable  revival  ever  witnessed 
in  the  missionary  schools.  Romanism  was  much  cha- 
grined by  the  success  of  school  and  church,  because 
it  stood  ready  to  take  the  coveted  property. 

The  Jubilee  Year  (1885)  was  signalized  by  special 


214  MADAME    FELLER. 

exercises  at  Grande  I/igne.  Three  days  were  given 
to  religious  festivities,  one  in  the  English  language 
and  two  in  the  French.  Reminiscences  of  the  small 
beginnings  and  the  opposition  met ;  of  the  lives  and 
labors  of  the  valiant  leaders  and  the  converted  who 
had  honored  the  cause  with  marked  abilities,  of 
schools  and  churches  established  and  operated  amid 
a  fire  of  Romish  hatred,  yet  with  signal  success — these 
and  other  matters  of  gratulation  were  presented  and 
combined  to  make  the  most  jubilant  occasion  ever 
known  in  the  Mission.  A  Historical  Sketch  was  pre- 
sented by  the  oldest  living  trophy  from  Romanism, 
Rev.  Theodore  L,afleur,  and  by  reason  of  its  candor 
and  completeness  it  will  remain  in  the  archives  of 
the  Mission  as  a  document  of  incomparable  value. 
A  special  cause  of  joy  and  hope  was  the  fact  that 
during  the  preceding  year  the  balance  of  indebted- 
ness on  buildings  and  lands  had  been  removed ;  as 
the  report  stated,  "  Now  all  our  missionary  buildings 
are  consecrated  free  of  debt  to  the  service  of  God 
and  of  His  holy  cause  among  us." 

The  Grande  lyigne  Station  registered  many  causes 
for  rejoicing.  For  example,  (i)  the  great  number  of 
applicants  for  admission — more  than  twice  as  many  as 
the  school  building  could  accommodate;  (2)  the  in- 
creasing number  of  Roman  Catholics  applying  for 
admission  and  willing  to  pay  fairly  for  their  education ; 
(3)  the  sacrifices  made  by  former  and  present  pupils  of 
the  institution  to  improve  and  beautify  it;  (4)  the 
ever-growing  stability  assumed  by  the  Students'  Soci- 
ety, formed  to  extend  its  influence  and  usefulness ;  (5) 
the  lively  interest  felt  in  the  United  States  and  in 
Great  Britain  in  behalf  of  the  institution. 


A    MEMORIAL.  215 

In  the  churches  and  missions  the  record  for  the 
year  ran  as  follows :  Grande  L,igne,  conversions,  forty- 
four,  some  of  them  cases  of  most  interesting  pupils, 
and  development  of  the  church  in  liberality  and  devo- 
tion ;  Montreal,  its  effectiveness  as  a  church,  manifest 
in  the  stirring  of  Catholic  churches  and  press  to  ad- 
monish the  Romanists  to  beware  of  Protestants,  while 
many  were  drawn  to  their  meetings  and  read  their 
paper,  an  interest  that  continues  to  the  present  time ; 
St.  Marie,  cause  firm,  meetings  well  attended,  some 
baptized  and  chapel  repaired;  Roxton  Pond,  services 
well  attended,  including  prayer  meetings  and  Sunday- 
school,  some  enlargement  of  membership  and  aggres- 
sion upon  Romanism ;  St.  Johns,  the  landing-place 
of  the  Swiss  missionaries,  and  where  at  first  they  failed 
to  obtain  foothold,  spoken  of  now  as  having  regular, 
every-Sunday  service  and  full  of  hope ;  Clarenceville 
and  Brockville,  after  varying  experiences  constant  wor- 
ship is  maintained,  the  exercises  being  in  both  French 
and  English,  and  attended  always  by  some  Romanists; 
South  Ely,  abandoned  by  resident  English  Protestants, 
yet  held  by  Grande  L,igne  laborers,  who  evince  their 
interest  by  persuading  Romanists  and  improving 
church  property,  thus  securing  a  following;  St.  Pie, 
"field  extending  and  becoming  more  and  more  im- 
portant. What  emigration  had  taken  away  from  us  is 
more  than  compensated  for  by  the  new  additions  of 
families,  some  of  whom  have  recently  come  out  of 
Romanism."  The  secretary  made  the  following  entry : 
"There  are,  in  connection  with  this  Society,  six  organ- 
ized churches,  each  one  having  a  church  building, 
either  in  stone,  brick  or  wood ;  pretty,  comfortable,  or 
at  least  becoming,  according  to  localities." 


2l6  MADAME    FELLER. 

The  years  1886-7  witnessed  the  retirement  from 
the  Grande  L,igne  school  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Roux,  after 
seventeen  years  of  faithful  service,  and  their  acceptance 
of  a  position  in  the  academy  at  Saxtou's  River,  Vt., 
which  is  still  well  sustained.  Mr.  G.  N.  Masse,  one  of 
the  institution's  favorite  sons  and  pastor  of  the  Grande 
lyigne  church,  was  called  to  succeed  Mr.  Roux  in  the 
principalship  and  continues  in  the  office.  Mr.  N.  Gre- 
goire,  for  twelve  years  priest  in  the  church  of  Rome, 
was  ordained  pastor  at  South  Ely,  and  the  church  there 
increased  in  numbers  to  thirty-three,  and  in  evangeli- 
cal efficiency  in  the  vicinity.  Grande  L/igne,  pastoral 
vacancy  one  half  of  the  year,  but  preaching  main- 
tained. Montreal,  several  baptized,  a  Bible  woman 
engaged  who  did  much  aggressive  work,  and  vigorous 
pastoral  labor.  St.  Marie,  home  and  field  work  car- 
ried on  earnestly  and  Catholics  reached.  St.  Pie,  as  in 
other  places,  Catholics  attended  the  worship  in  consid- 
erable numbers.  Roxton  Pond,  new  life  with  return 
of  French  Protestants  from  the  States  and  the  baptism 
of  seven.  St.  Johns,  pastoral  and  missionary  labors 
throughout  the  region  promised  well.  St.  Constant 
and  out-stations  supplied  by  student  labor.  Clarence- 
ville,  Brockville  and  St.  Sebastien,  prosperity,  with  eight 
baptisms  and  improvement  of  the  place  of  worship. 

In  1887-9  there  was  much  "commotion  in  the 
field,"  as  to  the  relations  between  Protestants  and 
Catholics,  yet  the  cause  moved  on.  The  Quebec 
Government  ascertained  that  the  French  Protestant 
voters  numbered  not  less  than  four  thousand ;  and 
this  census  would  represent  a  French  Protestant 
population  in  the  Canadas  of  fifteen  or  sixteen  thou- 
sand, with  more  than  this  number  in  the  New  Eng- 


A    MEMORIAL.  217 

land  States.  Good  news  from  Roxton  Pond ;  increase 
of  congregation  and  Sunday-school,  and  eleven  bap- 
tisms. Montreal  reports  progress;  thirteen  added, 
with  unmistakable  indications  of  disposition  on  the 
part  of  the  Romanists  to  hear  the  truth.  St.  Marie 
changed  pastors,  but  the  work  went  on,  particularly 
in  essential  material  improvements.  St.  Pie  spared 
its  pastor  to  collect  for  the  Institute,  yet  had  sup- 
plies, and  much  work  was  performed  in  the  homes. 
South  Ely  reported  seed-sowing  and  some  fruit.  St. 
Johns  lost  converts  by  death  and  removal,  though  the 
latter,  going  west  as  far  as  to  Dakota,  bore  testimony 
to  the  truth  received. 

Early  in  1889-90  Feller  Institute  received  a  gra- 
cious blessing  in  the  conversion  of  more  than  thirty 
pupils,  but  this  was  succeeded  by  the  conflagration 
which  destroyed  the  old  building  that  had  been  ren- 
dered sacred  by  its  occupancy  for  fifty  years,  and  the 
temporary  dismissal  of  the  school.  Montreal,  an  in- 
crease in  the  number  of  Roman  Catholics  attending 
services  and  in  other  opportunities  for  addressing 
them,  with  enlargement  of  membership.  Grande 
Ligne  reported  progress  in  financial  matters  and  in- 
crease of  membership,  notwithstanding  the  fire.  Clar- 
enceville  and  St.  Sebastien,  after  a  pastoral  vacancy, 
began  again.  St.  Marie,  rendered  vacant  by  a  call  of 
the  pastor  to  teach  at  Grande  Ligne.  St.  Johns,  with- 
out encouraging  incident.  St.  Constant,  St.  Phillipe 
and  St.  Michel ;  three  stations  separated  from  each 
other  by  great  distances,  yet  occupied.  St.  Pie  :  Pas- 
tor in  the  collecting  field,  but  preaching  kept  up  and 
more  accomplished,  spiritually  and  materially,  than  in 
other  years.  Roxtou  Pond  :  the  flock  diminished  by 


2l8  MADAME   FELLER. 

death  and  by  removals  to  the  United  States.    South 
Ely:  "marked  progress  "in  the  customary  lines. 

In  October,  1890,  the  school,  which  had  been  inter- 
rupted by  the  fire,  was  reopened,  with  greatly  improved 
circumstances  and  attendance.  Many  Roman  Catho- 
lics, as  before,  were  found  among  the  pupils.  1890-91  : 
Montreal,  as  previously,  had  a  steady,  though  slow 
increase  of  numbers  and  development ;  eighteen  addi- 
tions; Bible  reading  and  distribution  urged  forward, 
and  persecution  slackened.  Grande  Ligne,  with  the 
pastor  abroad  aiding  in  raising  funds  for  the  Institute, 
had  a  refreshing  and  fourteen  accessions  by  baptism, 
some  of  them  Romanists.  St.  Marie  had  become  one 
of  the  most  promising  fields,  with  a  settled  pastor  and 
a  growing  influence.  Catholics  attended  in  large  num- 
bers, not  omitting  funeral  occasions  of  which  they  make 
so  much,  and  concerning  which  one  remarked :  "  How 
beautiful  such  a  service !  What  a  cheering  prospect 
for  such  as  we,  miserable,  mortal  creatures !  We  never 
have  such  comforting  words  at  our  burial  services; 
only  dull  L,atin  chanting."  St.  Pie,  with  pastor  away, 
had  service  from  various  missionaries  and  made  head- 
way ;  unusual  investigation  of  Scriptures  took  place, 
with  resort  to  the  priest,  demanding  proof  of  a  purga- 
tory, showing  independence  of  thought.  Roxton  Pond, 
had  a  repetition  of  its  loss  by  emigration  to  the  United 
States,  yet  congratulated  itself  that  it  had  contributed 
dentists,  physicians,  musicians  and  ministers  to  the 
cause  of  French  Protestantism  there.  South  Ely  had 
service  every  Sunday,  with  Sunday-school  and  pastoral 
care  here  and  at  L,awrenceville,  yet  suffered  "  the  usual 
emigration  to  the  States."  St.  Johns,  with  an  ex-priest 
for  pastor,  who  rendered  an  invincible  example,  as  had 


OLD  CHURCH,  ROXTON  POND. 


PRESENT  CHURCH,  ROXTON  POND. 


A    MEMORIAL,.  219 

been  done  by  other  pastors,  of  a  life  that  the  Catholics 
felt  but  did  not  experience,  was  a  shining  light.  St. 
Constant,  St.  Phillipe  and  St.  Michel,  a  large  field  under 
one  missionary  and  without  a  house  of  worship,  could 
report  regular  attendance  and  increased  interest  in 
spiritual  things.  Hull,  P.  Q.,  where  the  first  Gospel 
meetings  were  broken  up  by  a  mob  of  two  thousand  or 
more,  hurling  stones  and  firing  guns  (causing  wounds, 
some  of  them  nearly  fatal),  obtained  a  building  and 
held  service  for  four  months,  with  attendance  of  Catho- 
lics and  others  and  good  results.  Ottawa,  vicinity,  oc- 
cupied by  missionaries  and  students  for  some  years, 
yielded  results  in  making  friends  for  the  school  and 
general  cause.  Quebec :  a  movement  made  to  sustain 
a  missionary,  with  signs  of  encouragement. 

The  year  1891-2  was  declared  by  the  secretary  to 
be  "  one  of  the  most  remarkable  in  the  history  of  this 
Mission."  Two  students  returned  from  Newton  The- 
ological Institution,  one  to  fill  a  vacant  pastorate  at 
St.  Pie,  the  other  to  locate  in  Ottawa — auxiliaries  to 
the  regular  staff  of  workers.  In  Bible  and  colportage 
work,  besides  those  in  Montreal  and  Quebec,  one  was 
added  for  the  Ottawa  region  and  one  for  the  southside 
borders  of  the  St.  Lawrence  River.  Feller  Institute 
was  blessed  by  the  conversion  of  souls,  some  of  them 
Roman  Catholics ;  attendance  large.  The  Grande 
L/igne  church  had  an  accession  of  twenty.  Montreal, 
eighteen  added,  as  the  year  before,  nearly  all  from  Ro- 
manism, and,  as  might  be  remarked  in  nearly  all  in- 
stances, very  interesting  cases.  The  influence  of  pastor 
and  church  drew  large  numbers  of  Romanists,  includ- 
ing students  of  Laval  University.  St.  Marie  enjoyed 
the  fruition  of  its  hopes  in  enlarged  interest  and  ten 


220  MADAME 

accessions.  St.  Pie  (Emileville)  found  Romanists  un- 
usually complacent  toward  Protestantism,  attending 
its  various  services  and  sending  nearly  all  their  board- 
ing school  pupils  to  Feller  Institute.  Roxton  Pond; 
emigration  continued  to  reduce  its  numbers,  yet  the 
Ivord  magnified  his  word,  baptism  became  a  mere  im- 
pressive ordinance,  and  benevolence  grew.  South  Ely, 
lost  by  death,  yet  gained  in  same  degree,  and  the  mis- 
sionary was  full  of  hope.  St.  Johns,  with  limited 
demands  for  pastoral  work,  left  the  missionary  with 
opportunity  for  profitable  employment  in  writing  con- 
troversial tracts.  St.  Constant,  St.  Phillippe  and  St. 
Michel,  "  great  difficulties  and  real  blessings."  Ottawa 
and  Hull ;  necessary  to  rent  accommodations  for  meet- 
ings, yet  the  missionary's  work  was  fraught  with  in- 
terest, public  and  personal.  Quebec ;  colporter  work 
prospered  in  large  sales  and  many  conversions.  Mas- 
kinonge  was  entered  with  the  life-giving  word,  which 
soon  began  to  be  given  to  neighboring  parishes. 

The  time  of  annual  meeting  and  reports  was  now 
changed  to  October,  and  more  than  one  year  and  one 
half  are  compassed  in  the  next  survey — February, 
1891,  to  October,  1893.  The  secretary  said:  "There 
has  been  regular  preaching  in  our  established  stations, 
evangelistic  preaching  and  colportage  in  new  places, 
Bible  women's  work  in  Montreal,  Ottawa  and  Quebec, 
besides  special  services  in  several  of  our  stations.  The 
immediate  result  in  actual  addition  to  our  numbers  by 
baptism  has  been  thirty-seven.  We  have  also  used  the 
press  more  extensively  and  in  more  ways  than  usual." 
A  field  secretary  was  added  to  the  forces.  To  abbre- 
viate and  to  indicate  the  work  and  workers  of  this 
period,  and  so  to  preserve  their  names  in  convenient 


A   MEMORIAL.  221 

and  associated  form,  the  secretary's  table  is  here  intro- 
duced : 

REV.  T.  LAFLEUR,  Secretary  and  General  Missionary. 

"     E.  BOSWORTH,  Field  Secretary. 

"     A.  BURWASH,  B.  A.,  General  Evangelist. 

"     T.  BROUILLET,  Pastor  and  Missionary  at  Roxton  Pond. 

"     A.  L.  THERRIEN,  "  "  at  Montreal. 

"     M.  B.  PARENT,  A.  M.,  Pastor,  Missionary  and  Teacher  at 
Grande  L/igne. 

"     A.  J.  L/EBEAU,  Pastor  and  Missionary,  Marieville. 

"     W.  S.  BULLOCK,  B.  Th.,      "  "     Maskinonge". 

"     L,OUIS  DUTEAUD,  B.  Th.,  "  "     St.  Pi6. 

"     L.  O.  F.  COTE,  "  "     Sorel. 

"     N.  GREGOIRE,  B.  A.,  Missionary,  St.  Johns. 

MRS.  E.  ScoTT,  Bible  Woman,  Montreal. 

"     C.  W.  GRENIER,  Bible  Woman,  Quebec. 

MR.    C.  W.  GRENIER,  Missionary,  " 

"     M.  O.  THERRIEN,        "  Magog. 

"     J.  CESAN,  "  South  Ely. 

"     L.  A.  THERRIEN,  Student,  St.  Constant,  St.  Phillipe  and 
St.  Michel. 

"     S.  H.  USHER,      Student,  Clarenceville  and  St.  S^bastien. 

"     A.  Iv.  THIBODEAU,     "        Colporter,         St.  Eugene. 

"     M.  MARCOTTE,          "  "  Rockland. 

"     Jos.  GENDREAU,  Mawcook. 

"     A.  GRENIER,  Montreal. 

REV.  G.  N.  MASSE,  B.  A.,  Principal,  Feller  Institute. 

MRS.  G.  N.  MASSE',  Matron  and  Teacher, 
MR.  ARTHUR  MASSE,  B.  A.,  Teacher,  " 

MRS.  ARTHUR  MASSE,  Teacher, 

MR.  EARNEST  NORMAN,  B.  A.,  Teacher,  " 

MR.  FREDERICK  RAINVILLE,  M.  D., 

Teacher   and  Physician,        "  " 

Miss  S.  PICHE,  Teacher  and  Bible  Woman,  " 

"     CARRIE  BULLOCK,  Teacher,  " 

"     ADA  BOSWORTH,  Pupil  Teacher,  " 

"     E.  GENDREAU,  Teacher,  Sorel,  Que. 

"     PERRON,  Teacher  and  Bible  Woman,      Coaticook,  Que. 


222  MADAME    FEUyER. 

This  array  of  talent,  with  its  diversity  of  operations, 
strikes  the  mind  with  peculiar  force.  With  remem- 
brance of  a  solitary  woman  and  teacher  in  the  garret, 
and  of  an  unhoused  missionary  seeking  a  place  for  the 
Gospel  among  an  unfriendly  people,  less  than  sixty 
years  before,  one  is  ready  to  exclaim,  "  What  hath  God 
wrought?"  And,  most  interesting  of  all  is  the  fact 
that  a  large  proportion  of  these  workers  were  the 
ripened  fruit  of  the  Mission — students  and  converts, 
who  in  loyalty  and  love  were  employing  their  ransomed 
and  disciplined  powers  in  forwarding  the  cause  by 
which  they  had  been  blessed.  In  all  the  Baptist  ranks, 
the  world  over,  there  are  scarcely  such  examples  of 
real  and  varied  abilities,  vitalized  by  a  moral  courage 
made  heroic  by  a  love  for  the  truth. 

For  the  year  ending  October  i,  1895,  the  words  of 
the  secretary  will  suffice :  "  During  the  past  year  we 
have  had  numerous  tokens  of  God's  presence  and  ap- 
proval. All  of  our  missionary  stations  have  been  main- 
tained and  new  ones  added.  The  churches  have  kept 
their  own,  with  frequent  additions.  ...  A  good 
number  of  conversions  from  Roman  Catholic  families. 
An  important  and  remarkable  work  has  been  wrought 
in  the  parish  of  Ste.  Ursule.  The  same  may  be  said  of 
Sorel  and  St.  Jude" — and  of  Quebec,  "under  that  for- 
tress of  clericalism."  Not  less  than  four  earnest  and 
successful  Bible  women  had  labored  in  Montreal,  Que- 
bec and  other  places. 

The  work  widens  and  the  interest  deepens  as  the 
years  pass.  The  limits  of  this  writing  admonish  the 
author  that  from  the  year  just  sketched  (1895)  the 
ever-widening  interests  of  the  Mission  must  be  further 


A   MEMORIAL.  223 

related  at  a  future  time.  Sixty  years  of  most  remark- 
able religious  experiences  and  achievements  have  come 
under  review,  while  personal  ventures,  trials  and  tri- 
umphs not  described  would  fill  considerable  space.  He 
is  glad  to  lay  this  tribute  on  the  altar  of  Missions ;  glad 
to  have  come  into  mental  and  spiritual  contact  with 
those  men  and  women  of  another  language  who  fof  sook 
all  they  had  that  they  might  be  Christ's  disciples,  and 
then  put  on  the  armor  of  Christian  warfare  and  achieved 
great  victories  in  His  name  and  for  His  sake.  They 
bated  not  one  jot  of  heart  or  hope,  even  in  the  darkest 
times ;  nor  do  the  living  laborers,  who  are  making  his- 
tory for  a  future  pen. 

The  present  hopeful  condition  of  the  cause  origi- 
nated by  the  Swiss  missionaries  may  be  learned  from 
a  brief  survey  of  the  latest  authentic  statement — 1897. 

Montreal,  a  mighty  city  and  mighty  stronghold  of 
Catholicism,  which  cast  out  if  it  did  not  stone  the 
"prophets"  that  were  sent  unto  it  by  the  Spirit,  in 
1834  and  1835,  is  now  firmly  occupied,  in  part,  by  their 
successors,  followers  of  the  same  Lord  and  dispensers 
of  the  same  Gospel.  The  church,  with  Rev.  A.  I,. 
Therrien  as  pastor,  maintains  well-attended  services, 
Roman  Catholics  being  frequently  observed  in  the  con- 
gregation, and  rejoices  in  accessions  and  development 
in  Christian  giving.  "Salle"  (Hall)  work  is  sustained. 
Rev.  L,.  A.  Therrien  and  others  have  addressed  the 
assemblies,  composed  of  more  Romanists  than  Protes- 
tants. The  English  Baptist  churches  exert  power, 
sympathizing  with  their  French  brethren,  and  in  the 
person  of  Rev.  E.  W.  Dadson,  D.  D.,  furnish  the  Grande 
Lfigne  Mission  with  an  accomplished  President. 


224  MADAME   FELLER. 

Roxton  Pond,  Rev.  W.  S.  Bullock,  pastor,  one  of 
the  older  fields,  after  undergoing  changes  of  constitu- 
ency, is  able  to  report  a  membership  of  sixty,  with  a 
congregation  of  twice  that  number.  "  Many  have  gone 
to  their  reward,  others  have  gone  to  swell  the  ranks  of 
French  American  Protestants,  and  quite  a  few  have 
moved  to  western  Ontario  and  taken  up  farms  on  the 
shore  of  L/ake  Huron."  They  may  add  to  the  spread 
of  the  Gospel  by  being  "  scattered  abroad." 

Maskinonge,  Rev.  Leonard  A.  Therrien,  pastor 
(settled  in  1897),  "grew  during  the  five  years  of  Mr. 
Bullock's  pastorate  from  a  tottering  infant  in  faith  to 
manhood  in  Christ,  and  the  Catholic  community  have 
come  to  thoroughly  respect  the  Protestants  and  their 
religion." 

Sorel,  notorious  for  its  shameful  treatment  of  Gen- 
dreau,  is  in  a  hopeful  state,  with  Rev.  L,.  O.  F.  Cote,  a 
vigorous  and  enthusiastic  brother,  in  the  pastorate. 
He  goes  abroad  and  performs  successful  evangelistic 
work,  and  others,  meantime,  minister  to  the  people  at 
Sorel.  Scriptures  and  tracts  are  circulated  in  large 
numbers. 

Marieville,  Rev.  A.  J.  L,ebau,  missionary,  reports 
"spiritual  growth  and  harmony;  services  apparently 
much  enjoyed  by  an  attentive  people."  Respectable 
Romanists  come  from  adjoining  parishes  to  hear  the 
Gospel.  A  whole  family  of  such  came  out  during  the 
year,  and  are  growing  in  grace  and  knowledge.  A 
night  school  was  held,  proving  to  be  of  much  benefit. 
Members,  44. 

South  Ely,  Rev.  J.  Cesan,  pastor.  The  families  of 
the  congregation,  members  and  others,  all  are  very 


A    MEMORIAL.  225 

regular  attendants  at  the  meetings.  "  If  all  the  Protes- 
tant families  who  have  left  this  field  for  the  States 
should  return,  the  chapel  would  not  be  large  enough 
to  contain  them." 

Evangelists : — M.  O.  Therrien  speaks  of  an  entire 
family  leaving  the  church  of  Rome  and  joining  the 
Baptist  church  at  Sherbrooke.  Made  an  evangelistic 
tour  in  the  Ottawa  Valley,  of  much  interest ;  visited 
hundreds  of  Roman  Catholic  families,  and  scattered  a 
good  deal  of  religious  literature.  T.  Brouillet,  for 
twenty-three  years  pastor  at  Roxton  Pond,  supplied 
St.  Pie  and  Emileville  churches  with  the  hoped-for 
movement  upon  the  ramparts  of  Romanism  and  with 
good  results.  N.  Gregoire  visited  several  fields,  as  aid 
to  pastors,  and  preached  and  lectured  in  various  places 
under  supervision  of  the  Board.  Labored  at  St.  Con- 
stant, St.  Phillipe,  Sorel,  St.  Eugene  and  Quebec.  Re- 
vised some  of  his  pamphlets  and  tracts  for  field  use. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Grenier,  Nova  Scotia,  have  had  remark- 
ably free  access  to  many  of  the  families.  Three  regu- 
lar preaching  stations — Plympton,  Burton  Settlement 
and  Weymouth  Falls.  Average  attendance  of  Catho- 
lics, 20.  Miss  Northwood,  Bible  Woman,  sold  ninety- 
eight  New  Testaments,  thirty-eight  Gospels  and  two 
Bibles,  besides  holding  conversations  with  hundreds  of 
people  and  reading  hundreds  of  chapters  from  the  Bible. 
"  Eternity  alone  will  reveal  the  results  of  this  faithful 
work." 

The  Ottawa  Valley  has  had  labor  of  a  missionary 
character,  by  student  O.  V.  Fournier ;  and  open  air 
meetings  by  Rev.  L,.  O.  F.  Cote  and  student  Roy  for 
two  weeks,  largely  attended  by  Romanists.  The  effort 
has  centered  at  Rockland,  but  services  have  been  held 


226  MADAME   FELLER. 

also  at  Canaan  Sunday  afternoons ;  some  baptized ; 
East  Templeton  and  Perkins  Mills,  in  charge  of  the 
Home  Mission  Board.  Mr.  S.  Mahoney,  formerly  a 
Roman  Catholic,  has  been  doing  excellent  work,  assisted 
by  Rev.  L.  O.  F.  Cote,  who  instructed  many  and  bap- 
tized seven.  Maxville,  open  air  meetings  for  two  even- 
ings drew  a  large  number  of  Romanists,  and  several 
French  families  are  disposed  to  receive  the  truth.  St. 
Eugene  has  been  visited,  and  Miss  Frith  is  doing  what 
she  can  to  diffuse  Gospel  light. 

Grande  L,igne  Church,  central  among  the  churches 
of  the  Province,  historically,  has  had  the  valuable  serv- 
ices of  Rev.  M.  B.  Parent  for  nine  years.  His  reports 
have  shown  progress  regularly.  Baptisms  for  the 
year,  twenty-one.  Attendance  of  Romanists  compara- 
tively less  than  in  other  places,  because  the  one  theme 
of  the  pulpit  and  admonitions  at  the  confessional  is 
"  keep  away  from  Protestants." 

Feller  Institute,  Rev.  G.  N.  Masse,  Principal.  The 
register  shows  an  attendance  of  136  pupils,  117  boarders 
and  1 9  day  pupils;  nineteen  Roman  Catholics  among 
them.  A  work  of  grace  resulted  in  the  conversion  of 
over  twenty  of  the  scholars,  seventeen  of  whom  pro- 
fessed their  faith  publicly  before  leaving  the  Institute  ; 
five  of  the  latter  Roman  Catholics.  Progress  likewise 
in  the  department  of  the  Model  Farm,  connected  with 
the  Institute. 

Coaticooke  School  had  for  teachers  Miss  Kate  Stobo 
and  Miss  Belle  Lorimer ;  for  the  new  year  it  has  Miss 
Stobo  and  Miss  Ida  Therrien.  Enrollment,  sixty ;  of 
which  number  twenty-one  were  Roman  Catholic  chil- 
dren. The  children  are  all  taught  from  the  Bible,  and 
are  receiving  a  good  fundamental  education. 


A   MEMORIAL.  227 


XVII. 

anfc  ©ntaafc—  WORDS  FOR  ALL. 


THE  following  statement  is  from  the  competent  pen 
of  Rev.  Theodore  L,afleur  : 


It  would  be  very  difficult  to  give  a  reliable  and  tol- 
erably accurate  account  of  the  present  state  of  the  suc- 
cess of  missionary  work,  inasmuch  as  many  of  the 
converts  and  of  those  who,  without  public  adherence 
to  Protestant  or  evangelical  principles,  have  virtually 
seceded  from  the  Roman  Catholic  communion,  by  the 
labors  of  the  Grande  Ligne  missionaries  : 

ist.  Because,  after  the  pioneering  work  of  the 
Grande  L,igne  Mission,  other  societies  have  been  formed 
and  have  entered  on  the  field. 

2d.  Many  of  the  converts,  or  half-converts,  have 
more  or  less  openly  joined  English-speaking  churches, 
here  or  elsewhere,  and  thus  have  been  lost  as  figures 
in  our  different  reports. 

3d.  There  have  been,  from  all  the  stations  of  our 
field,  many  emigrants  to  the  United  States,  and  more 
especially  to  the  New  England  states. 

There  can  not  be  much  less  than  a  million  of  French 
Canadians  who,  from  the  beginning  of  our  missionary 
labors,  sixty  years  ago,  have  emigrated  to  the  neigh- 


228  MADAME 

boring  republic.  The  great  bulk  of  them  went  there 
as  Roman  Catholics,  and  they  show  it  by  the  erection 
of  numerous  churches  and  convents  in  many  places  in 
New  England.  Among  those  French  Canadian  emi- 
grants a  goodly  number  had  become  Protestants  in 
Canada,  and  became  here  and  there  the  nuclei  of  mis- 
sionary stations. 

Now,  if  we  take  the  aggregate  of  all  the  converts 
of  the  different  missionary  enterprises  from  the  begin- 
nings of  the  work  of  the  Grande  L/igne  Mission,  both 
in  Canada  and  the  United  States,  some  place  it  at  30,- 
ooo,  others  at  40,000,  about  equally  divided  between 
Canada  and  the  United  States.  It  would  be  a  great 
result  if  only  half  that  number  had  been  rescued  from 
the  thraldom  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church,  inasmuch 
as  perhaps  not  less  than  10,000  of  them  have  received 
some  secular  and  religious  training  in  one  or  other  of 
the  missionary  schools,  such  as  Grande  Ligne,  Point 
aux  Trembles  and  others.  There  are  now  scores  of 
French  chapels  or  churches  in  French  Canada  and  in 
the  New  England  States ;  six  in  Montreal.  If  they  do 
not  increase  more  especially  in  the  United  States,  it  is 
because  many  of  the  converts  are  merged  into  English- 
speaking  congregations. 

The  entire  population  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada 
is  a  little  over  5,000,000,  of  which  more  than  3,000,000 
are  stanch  Protestants,  leaving  2,000,000  of  Roman 
Catholics,  of  which  1,200,000  are  in  the  Province  of 
Quebec. 

Quebec  contains  over  1,200,000  French  Canadians; 
Ontario,  101,000;  and  the  Maritime  Provinces,  103,000 
(1896).  The  Grande  L,igne  Mission  is  the  only  Baptist 


A    MEMORIAL.  22Q 

agency  to  give  these  people  the  Gospel.  Never  in  the 
history  of  French  evangelization  have  there  been  so 
many  open  doors  as  at  the  present.  In  Quebec  and 
Montreal  thousands  of  Romanists  have  heard  the  Word 
in  the  "  Salle,"  or  halls,  who,  but  for  the  Grande  Ligne 
Mission,  would  never  have  heard  it.  By  the  instru- 
mentality of  the  Mission  there  have  been  about  6,000 
known  conversions  during  the  sixty  years.  Nearly 
sixty  young  men  and  women  have  been  sent  out  to 
preach  the  Gospel  during  the  same  time.  Some  of 
them  are  in  foreign  lands  today. 

And  this  hopeful  onlook  is  contributed  by  the  ac- 
complished observer,  Rev.  E.  Bosworth  : 


More  than  three  score  years  have  passed  since  the 
sainted  Madame  Feller  began  her  work  ;  she  has  gone 
to  her  reward,  but  her  "  works  do  follow  "  her.  If 
she  could  visit  the  scenes  of  her  former  labors,  how 
great  are  the  changes  she  would  behold  —  changes  in 
the  religious  spirit  of  the  Dominion  and  in  the  mar- 
velous progress  of  Christian  thought  among  those  for 
whose  regeneration  she  labored.  She  and  Mr.  Roussy 
began  their  work  alone  ;  now  Baptists,  east,  west  and 
south,  regard  it  as  one  of  their  highest  privileges  to 
be  co-workers  in  giving  the  Gospel  to  perishing 
Quebec. 

In  1835  the  Province  of  Quebec  contained  but  one 
solitary  French  Protestant,  in  addition  to  these  mis- 
sionaries ;  now  nearly  twenty  thousand  French  Prot- 


230  MADAME    FELLER. 

estants  are  scattered  through  its  various  counties. 
Then  priestly  tyranny  controlled  the  people  and 
they  were  satisfied;  but  the  principles  of  soul  lib- 
erty, which  have  been  promulgated  by  the  mission- 
aries, have  permeated  all  the  strata  of  Catholic  soci- 
ety, until  they  are  now  asserting  their  right  to  think 
for  themselves,  at  least  in  educational  and  political 
matters,  and  the  day  is  not  far  distant  when  in  relig- 
ious things  they  will  demand  the  right  to  worship 
God  according  to  the  dictates  of  their  own  con- 
sciences. Not  that  the  struggle  with  priestcraft  is 
over,  or  the  conquest  complete.  Every  day,  however, 
is  adding  strength  and  potency  to  the  forces  by  which 
the  final  victory  shall  be  won. 

What  changes,  too,  in  the  number  of  the  workers 
and  the  materials  with  which  to  accomplish  their 
God-given  mission.  Then  a  rude  log  hut  was  the 
center  and  circumference  of  the  material  at  hand ; 
now  a  large  stone  building  with  all  modern  appliances 
for  educatioual  purposes  at  Grande  L,igne,  a  large 
day-school  at  Coaticooke,  and  chapels  and  halls  scat- 
tered in  city,  town  and  village  throughout  the  Prov- 
ince. Then  a  handful  of  students  gathered  round 
their  feet ;  now  nearly  two  hundred  have  met  in  the 
two  schools,  while  scores  are  refused  every  year  at 
Grande  L,igne  for  lack  of  accommodation.  Then  two 
lone  workers ;  now  more  than  thirty  laborers  are  en- 
gaged in  its  various  departments  as  teachers,  mission- 
aries, colporters,  and  Bible  women,  seeking  to  carry 
out  the  great  commission  of  our  common  Master. 
No  change,  however,  has  come  over  the  spirit  of 
these  workers  —  earnest,  consecrated,  self-sacrificing 


A    MEMORIAL.  231 

and  laborious  as  the  founders  of  the  Mission.  They 
are  projecting  their  lives  into  the  age,  "  on  ages  tell- 
ing"; their  spirit  has  been  caught  by  the  converts, 
and  from  the  school  have  gone  forth  more  than  sixty, 
trained  for  service,  into  the  mission  fields  of  Burma, 
Africa  and  Mexico,  while  many  of  the  efficient  French 
missionaries  of  the  A.  B.  H.  M.  Society  were  converted 
and  trained  for  their  work  in  Feller  Institute. 

In  every  walk  of  life  are  the  converts  of  this  Mis- 
sion to  be  found — in  business  and  in  all  the  learned 
professions,  while  at  least  two  of  them  have  occupied 
distinguished  positions  upon  the  professorial  staff  in 
a  State  University  and  Vassar  College.  The  influence 
of  such  converts  can  not  be  measured,  but  it  counts 
among  the  many  forces  that  are  hastening  the  com- 
ing of  the  Kingdom  of  God. 

The  one  great  obstacle  that  now  meets  the  Mis- 
sion's work  is  the  difficulty  of  providing  employment 
for  the  converts.  Employers  find  the  influence  of 
Catholic  workmen,  inflamed  and  guided  by  priestly 
hate,  too  strong  for  them  to  withstand  ;  consequently 
many,  indeed  most  of  the  converts  are  compelled  to 
leave  their  native  land  in  order  to  obtain  a  livelihood. 
How  much  does  this  mean  to  the  Mission  ?  If  the 
seed  which  has  been  sown  and  already  brought  to 
fruitage  could  remain  in  Quebec  and  multiply  itself, 
it  would  furnish  encouragement  for  the  laborers  and 
make  it  much  easier  for  those  who  are  weary  of  the 
exactions  of  Rome,  and  have  lost  faith  in  her  pre- 
tensions, to  leave  her  communion.  There  is,  how- 
ever, a  compensation  in  the  fact  that  these  persecuted 
and  boycotted  children  of  God  find  an  asylum  under 


232  MADAME    FELLER. 

the  silken  folds  of  the  stars  and  stripes,  and  become 
important  factors  in  the  evangelization  of  the  French 
Canadian  in  New  England. 

It  is  true  today  in  Quebec,  as  in  Palestine  of  other 
days,  that  persecution  spreads  the  knowledge  of  the 
Kingdom  —  that  the  scattered  go  everywhere  preach- 
ing the  Gospel. 

The  past  history  of  Madame  Feller  and  the  Grande 
Ligne  Mission  is  replete  with  evidences  of  God's  pres- 
ence and  blessing.  The  present  sets  before  the  Mis- 
sion doors  of  opportunity,  for  which  Madame  Feller 
and  many  others  long  have  been  praying,  while  the 
future  is  bright  with  hope  —  "  bright  as  the  promises 
of  God." 


21U. 

It  would  be  gratifying  to  make  record  of  the  gen- 
erous giving  that  the  Mission  has  enjoyed  from  time 
to  time  ;  especially  the  ministries  of  noble  women 
who,  individually  and  in  organized  auxiliaries,  have 
given  deliverance  to  it  many  times  and  in  most  prov- 
idential ways.  Many  names  have  been  entered  upon 
memory's  page  and  the  history  of  the  Mission,  not  to 
be  effaced.  The  author  has  noted  some  ;  for  exam- 
ple :  Mrs.  Commodore  Read,  Philadelphia,  Mrs.  Brins- 
made,  Newark,  N.  J.,  Mrs.  Caroline  Street,  New  Haven, 
Conn.,  Miss  Jenny  Bolles,  Hartford,  Conn.,  Mrs.  R.  I. 
Brown  and  Mrs.  T.  C.  Doremus,  New  York,  Mrs.  C. 
E.  Green,  Providence  R.  I.,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Burke,  Brook- 
lyn, N.  Y.,  who  belong  to  the  historic  past.  Honor- 
able mention  might  be  made  of  many  of  the  living 
also  ;  particularly  members  and  officers  of  the  Board. 


— I 


J.  DEXOVAX. 
\V.  N.  CLARKE,  D.D. 


THEU.  LAFLEUR. 
MADAME  FELLER. 
JOSEPH  RICHARDS. 


A.  G.  UPHAM,  D.D. 
A.   \.  AVER. 


A   MEMORIAL.  233 

The  tribute  which  this  volume  pays  to  the  Grande 
Ligne  workers  will  reach  the  Christian  heart,  and  it 
is  hoped  that  it  will  awaken  responsive  feelings  of 
gratitude  and  joy.  To  be  permitted  to  enter  into 
their  labors  is  the  great  privilege  of  the  Canadian 
Christians  of  the  present  day,  and  to  aid  in  sustaining 
the  Mission  a  privilege  of  the  friends  of  religious  lib- 
erty and  an  open  Bible  everywhere.  The  originating 
motive  of  the  Mission  was  pure  and  sublime.  Those 
binary  souls  who  clasped  hands  and  crossed  the  sea 
that  they  might  release  French  Romanists  from  mental 
and  spiritual  bondage,  and  make  them  free  in  Christ, 
proved  their  sincerity  by  their  endurance  amid  priva- 
tions, patience  in  tribulation,^ meekness  in  instructing 
those  who  opposed  themselves,  and  by  lying  down  at 
the  last  in  the  land  that  tried  to  eject  them  and 
among  those  who  followed  them  as  they  followed 
Christ. 

It  has  been  a  very  great  pleasure  to  do  them  honor 
in  this  way.  The  contact  of  spirit  has  been  inspiring 
and  uplifting.  And  the  author  can  but  hope  that 
this  benefit  will  become  common  to  others,  through 
the  reading  of  that  which  he  has  thus  wrought  out. 
To  commemorate  the  virtuous  is  grateful,  and  an  act 
necessary  to  the  self-respect  of  those  who  have  enjoyed 
their  influence. 

To  enter  into  the  love  and  labors  of  the  Grande 
Ligne  Christians  is  to  partake  of  their  joy,  and  re- 
wards also.  As  the  stream  of  time  flows  on,  this 
missionary  cause  moves  toward  a  grand  consumma- 
tion. The  St.  Lawrence  in  its  deep  and  resistless 
current  typifies  the  might  and  progress,  the  perma- 


234  MADAME   FELLER. 

nence,  too,  of  the  Kingdom  of  God.  Barriers  are 
swept  away.  Every  attempt  to  interfere  is  but  as  the 
casting  of  straws  upon  that  stream,  which  itself  bears 
them  into  oblivion.  Along  its  historic  banks  stand 
Rome's  monuments  of  folly,  churches  and  convents, 
which,  though  formidable  in  appearance,  must  ulti- 
mately yield  their  votaries,  if  not  their  very  elements 
and  doctrines,  to  the  sweep  of  the  true  Christian  faith. 

"  Year  by  year,  and  sun  by  sun, 
Grows  the  work  of  Christ  begun." 

Already  are  the  foundations  of  the  Papacy  weak- 
ened and  its  influence  diminished.  Nothing  false  can 
stand  before  light  and  knowledge.  This  the  Grande 
Ligne  Mission  workers  have  proved,  and  hence  their 
firm  defiance  of  error  and  phenomenal  perseverance. 
The  potent  contact  of  their  heroic  spirits  is  a  bless- 
ing to  all  who  in  any  way  unite  with  them  for  the 
accomplishment  of  their  object.  These  and  those — 
the  field  laborers  and  their  loyal  sympathizers,  will 
join  at  last  in  songs  of  triumph  and  in  ascriptions 
of  praise  to  Him  who  gives  the  victory. 


By  WALTER  N.  WYETH,  D.  D. 
Vivid  and  Inspiring  Annals!— Great  Characters  in  Early  Mission  Fields! 

These  books,  sufficiently  cheap  and  brief  to  be  within  the  ability  of  all  to 
buy  and  use,  aim  to  give  a  view  of  the  work  of  God  in  heathen  lands 
in  attractive  form.  EACH  VOLUME  COMPLETE  IN  ITSELF.  The  whole 
making  a  small  library  on  home  and  foreign  missions,  adapted  to 
Sunday-schools,  young  people's  societies  and  missionary  circles. 

No.  1.  ANN  H.  JUDSON,  the  "Illuminated  Initial  Letter" 
of  missionary  history.  The  heroine  of  Aya  and  Oung-pen-la  prisons  for 
twenty-one  months.  This  memorial  revives  and  adds  to  the  records  of 
her  dauntless  devotion  to  the  prisoners  and  perishing  heathen,  and  of 
the  introduction  of  the  Gospel  to  Burma. 

No.  2.  SARAH  B.  JUDSON,  wife  of  George  D.  Boardman, 
then  of  Adoniram  Judson,  in  a  devout  missionary  life  of  twenty  years. 
The  noted  Teacher,  Poet  and  Mother ;  living  the  rough  reality  and  ro- 
mance of  missions  and  dying  at  St.  Helena— a  most  beautiful  character, 
made  newly  attractive  by  this  biography. 

No.  3.  EMILY  C.  JUDSON,  third  wife  of  Dr.  Judson.  This 
volume  brings  out  the  severe  experiences  of  her  girlhood,  and  her  scenic 
career  as  a.  famous  writer  and  as  a  missionary.  Her  marriage  fully  vin- 
dicated. There  is  a  charm  to  the  narrative  scarcely  equalled  in  literature. 
An  example  of  loyalty  to  parents  and  of  superiority  to  circumstances. 

No.  4-.  THE  WADES.  Contains  a  full  account  of  marvelous 
devotion  and  success  in  mission  work  for  a  long  period— Dr.  Wade  forty- 
nine  years,  and  Mrs.  Wade  forty-five  years.  Thrilling  prison  and  jungle 
experiences.  The  prosperity  of  missions  by  Teaching,  Preaching,  Au- 
thorship, and  giving  a  written  language  to  the  Karens. 

No.  5.  A  GALAXY  IN  THE  BURMAN  SKY.  Designed 
to  commemorate  the  deeds  of  some  of  the  Very  Noblest,  who  have  not 
had  the  record  to  which  their  great  work  as  founders  entitles  them.  An 
initial  chapter  on  Carey  and  Kristno  Paul.  Then  appear  the  Corn- 
stocks,  Abbotts  and  others,  with  "  honorable  women  "  and  notable  Karen 
preachers. 

No.  6.  ISAAC  McCOY,  the  pioneer  and  hero  of  Indian  Mis- 
sions in  the  West.  A  recital  of  scenes  in  the  wilderness  ;  perils,  sick- 
ness and  savages  ;  tours  of  exploration  ;  efforts  with  Congress  for  the 
Indians ;  descriptive  passages  of  Indian  character  and  customs,  and  ac- 
count of  Christian  progress  for  twenty  years. 

No.  7.  POOR  LO  !  An  account  of  first  efforts  for  saving  the 
Cherokees,  Seminoles,  and  others  ;  wars  among  them  and  their  removal 
west  of  the  Mississippi.  Thrilling  scenes ;  great  warriors  and  great 
missionaries.  Chiefs  converted;  churches  established.  The  four  "  C " 
tribes  and  the  five  "O"  tribes.  Native  preachers;  John  Wicklifle,  Jesse 
Bushyhead,  Joseph  Islands,  John  Juniper,  Charles  Journeycake,  and  many 
others — princes  in  red. 

No.  8.  SWISS  HEROINE.  Madame  Feller  and  the  Grande 
Ligne  Mission,  with  account  of  Louis  Roussy,  her  life-long  associate. 
Invasion  of  Canada  with  the  Gospel ;  great  conflicts  with  Romanism ; 

:e  i 

spe 

A.  I  IVl  : 

1.  To  save  our  inspiring  missionary  annals  from  loss. 

2.  To  commemorate   the  workers,  and  through  their  biographies  to 
furnish  an  adequate  history  of  missions,  in  brief  form  and  entertaining 
style. 

3.  To  fertilize  the  hearts  and  quicken  the  zeal  of  Christians,  for  any 
and  all  work. 

PRICES— Sent  prepaid,  Each,  75  cts.;   Eight,  $5.00. 

Total   pages,  over  1600. 
Address 

W.  N.  WYETH,  3920  FAIRMOUNT  AVE., 

PHILADELPHIA,  PA. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


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\Vyeth  - 
Henrietta 
6r  and  tne 
Grande  Ligne 
Mission 


